Netherlands round-up: Roda hold Ajax

A second-half goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic spared AFC Ajax's blushes on Saturday as they earned a 1-1 draw with lowly Roda JC.

Hard luck for Kala
Roda goalkeeper Zeljko Kala parried a fierce shot from Ghanaian defender Amadou Yakubu after 68 minutes but could not prevent Swedish international striker Ibrahimovic from firing home the rebound from five metres out.

Late chances
After scoring the equaliser, Ajax redoubled their efforts and could easily have won the game in the closing minutes with Ibrahimovic going close, but Ioannis Anastasiou also went close for Roda.

Below par Ajax
Anastasiou had put the hosts ahead at the Parkstad Limburg stadium with a 22nd-minute penalty after Christian Chivu brought down Frederik Berglund and Ajax had looked below par until the second half.

Vitesse humbled
SBV Vitesse suffered a humiliating defeat at FC Den Bosch with three second-half goals condemning them to a 4-1 loss. Bart van den Eede gave Den Bosch a 42nd-minute lead but Michel Kreek struck back two minutes later for Vitesse. Van den Eede restored the home side's advantage after 60 minutes, before Mourad (82) and Patrick Deckers (90) provided a rousing finale for Den Bosch.

Stalemate in Doetinchem
De Graafschap and Willem II shared the points in Doetinchem after Tarik Sektioui's 72nd-minute goal for the visitors cancelled out Hans van der Haar's opener six minutes earlier, while FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar played out a 0-0 at the Het Diekman stadium.