Netherlands round-up: Heerenveen hopes boosted

SC Heerenveen boosted their Eredivisie title hopes with a 4-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam on Friday. The fifth-placed club, trailing Eredivisie leaders Ajax by only four points, drew first blood after only seven minutes with a scrambled goal by Swedish striker Marcus Allback.

Sparta equaliser
Heerenveen seemed content to sit back on their slender advantage, but that plan came unstuck in the 74th minute when Sparta came up with a shock equaliser. A free-kick from Elbakay Bouchiba found Dave van der Meer and he headed wide of the goalkeeper and into the net.

Lead restored
The goal stung the visitors into action and they took just two minutes to restore their lead. Mika Nurmela flighted a free-kick into the path of Anthony Lurling who headed down for Dennis de Nooijer to score from close range.

Third goal
Heerenveen added a third when Sparta goalkeeper Frank Kooiman was caught out of position in the 86th minute. Kooiman hit a clearance upfield which seemed well out of the danger zone when it fell to Lurling near halfway. The Heerenveen striker saw that Kooiman well off his line and he lofted a 35-metre strike into the net.

Shell-shocked Sparta
Shell-shocked, Sparta conceded a fourth goal a minute from the end. Lurling launched a raid down the left wing and crossed to Nurmela who slammed in an unstoppable right-footer from four metres yards.