Seven wins in the first 16 matches of the season and zero wins through the first five matches of Champions League play was enough for AZ Alkmaar management.
After a 2-1 loss at home versus Vitesse Arnhem, AZ have sacked coach Ronald Koeman. Last years Eredivisie champions are a mere shade of itself and last years form. Unable to hold an early 1-0 lead, AZ allowed two second-half goals by Lasse Nilsson and Dalibor Stevanovic as both sides finished the match with 10 men.
The AZ coaching staff will share the head coach responsibilities for now. There has been contact with former Holland national team coach, and current Belgium national team coach, Dick Advocaat about filling in for the remainder of the season. With the loss, AZ falls to seventh in the table.
At the top of the Dutch table, Twente Enschede remains undefeated thanks to another match-winning goal from Bryan Ruiz. The Costa Rican forward headed in his 12th goal of the season in the 88th minute to secure the 4-3 win versus NEC Nijmegen. Defensive mistakes by Twente paved the way to NEC’s Bjorn Vleminckx’s two goals, in the 41st and 45th minutes. The match was not all well for Vlemickx, who was ejected in the 55th minute for a poor retaliation foul. The road victory for Twente keeps the two point separation between itself and PSV Eindhoven.
PSV, still with out a loss this season, won on the road, 2-0 versus RKC Waalwijk. The offense was slow to the start of the match, until the 63rd minute when Jonathan Reis’ header broke the scoreless draw. Danko Lazovic added an 83rd minute insurance goal.
Eredivisie-leading goal scorer, Luis Suarez has never scored against FC Utrecht. On the road and in the rain, Ajax Amsterdam couldn’t manage to score on Utrecht goalkeeper Michel Vorm. The 26-year-old net minder is looking to solidify a spot on the national team well very well against a strong Ajax attack, lead by Suarez and Marco Pantelic.
After a scoreless first-half, Utrecht’s Jacob Mulenga found a little bit of luck in the 48th minute as his shot deflected off the lef of Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen and past goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Luck stayed with the home side, when Pantelic skied a clear goal-scoring opportunity in the 57th minute. In the 66th minute Jan Wuytens found himself all alone at the six-yard line, he headed in the second goal of the match for Utrecht, in the 2-0 home victory.
There is no doubt that the Holland national team coach, Bert van Marwijk was watching closely as his starting goalkeeper, Stekelenburg, went head-to-head with Vorm.
Utrecht, now in 5th place, were again impressive as it continues to climb the Eredivisie table. Ahead of them are Feyenoord Rotterdam, who defeated FC Groningen3-1 at home. The visitors were on score sheet early with a 4th minute goal from Koen van de Laak. Feyenoord would later tie the match, not before veteran striker Roy Makaaycollected a ball inside the 18-yard box scoring the match-winner in the 57th minute.
Sixth-place SC Heracles continued its winning ways with a second straight three-goal victory, beating Heerenveen 3-1 at home. A questionable hand ball call in the box was the difference maker in this match, when Willy Overtoom converted the penalty, giving Heracles the 2-0 lead. A tapper by Bas Dost in the 90th minute secured the victory for Heracles.
The match to watch next week will be PSV hosting AZ. How will AZ respond to Koeman’s dismissal? PSV is still undefeated and score a lot of goals in Eindhoven, but it allows too many at home as well. A win here could jump start a turn around to the season, but until AZ proves otherwise, PSV is the pick at home.
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