Eredivisie leaders frozen out

By Berend Scholten

Heavy snow and frozen pitches ravaged the Eredivisie this weekend, as the top four sides' matches were all postponed, shifting the focus to the teams further down the table.

Heavy snowfall
The eagerly awaited game between second-placed AZ Alkmaar and the side just four points behind them, AFC Ajax, was postponed after officials deemed the Amsterdam ArenA potentially hazardous. The stadium's roof was successful in protecting the pitch from the elements but the build-up of snow on top of it was at risk of collapsing so the match was called off.

PSV postponement
Leaders PSV Eindhoven and in-form Feyenoord had their respective games at FC Groningen and FC Den Bosch postponed because of frozen pitches, and the same fate befell the encounter between ADO Den Haag and SC Heerenveen. The highest positioned side in action was therefore fifth-placed SBV Vitesse, who laboured to a 2-0 victory against Willem II.

Gluscevic free-kick
Richard Knopper broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark, but despite the side's dominance, it was not until Frank van der Struijk was sent off on 82 minutes that Edward Sturing's side sealed the win. Igor Gluscevic's free-kick proved unstoppable and helped Vitesse move to within four points of Feyenoord.

Mols landmark
The mid-table meeting between FC Utrecht and RKC Waalwijk at the Mandemakers Stadium ended in stalemate after Thomas Vermaelen's 70th-minute header earned the home team a 2-2 draw. Rick Hoogendorp had given the side the lead on 15 minutes but Darl Douglas equalised before Michael Mols looked to have earned all three points with his 50th goal for Utrecht.

Diba double
Anouar Diba scored two goals, one a lob and the other a free-kick, as NAC Breda denied De Graafschap a happier landmark in Doetinchem. It was the strugglers 500th match in the Eredivisie, but the 2-0 defeat leaves them third from bottom, a solitary point ahead of RBC Roosendaal after Tim Smolders' second-half strike earned them a rare win against NEC Nijmegen.

Twente travel well
NEC have not won on their travels since August, in sharp contrast to FC Twente who came from behind to collect their fourth successive away win at Roda JC. Dmitri Shoukov and Blaise N'Kufo were both on target in the second half to overturn Arouna Koné's early strike and earn the side their first win in Roda for eight years.