Ajax take control in Netherlands after PSV lose

The Hague, March 11 (IANS): Ajax captured the top spot in the Dutch Eredivisie by beating PEC Zwolle 3-0, while former league leaders PSV lost 1-2 to SC Heerenveen.

Players of Ajax celebrate a goal during the Dutch Eredivisie match against PEC Zwolle at the Amsterdam Arena on March 10, 2013 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Reigning champions Ajax had an easy Sunday afternoon in Amsterdam. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Siem de Jong gave the home team a 2-0 lead at half-time and substitute Derk Boerrigter produced the third.

“Our play looked good yet again,” said Ajax coach Frank de Boer at the post-match press conference. “We dominated all our opponents in recent weeks, and now we got the three points as well.”

PSV had a disastrous evening Saturday at Heerenveen. The Eindhoven based side went 0-2 down thanks to goals from Marten de Roon and Yassine El Ghanassy.

“Very, very disappointing,” said PSV coach Dick Advocaat after the match. “They put us under pressure in the first half. We kept trying to build from defence, but in this kind of situations you just have to use the long ball, incredible and inexplicable. In the second half we dominated, but it was too late.”

Beside Ajax the second team to profit from PSV’s loss was Feyenoord who beat Roda JC 1-0 in Kerkrade Sunday.

Ajax now lead the standings with 54 points from 26 matches, one point ahead of PSV and Feyenoord. Vitesse remain in fourth place, three points behind Ajax, after beating FC Twente 1-0 in Enschede.