PSV primed for Dutch glory

By Berend Scholten

PSV Eindhoven warmed up for their UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday with a comfortable win against bottom side FC Den Bosch to extend their lead at the Eredivisie summit.

Landmark goal
Phillip Cocu broke the deadlock with the 100th league goal of his career on the half-hour mark before Wilfred Bouma doubled the tally with a shot from 25 metres 15 minutes after the restart. Mark van Bommel competed the scoring with a minute remaining as PSV stretched their lead at the top of the Eredivisie to 13 points.

De Jong double
AZ Alkmaar could have closed the gap to ten with victory against AFC Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA on Sunday, but the win never looked likely after Nigel de Jong gave the home side the lead on 19 minutes. Robin Nelisse equalised on 38 minutes but De Jong restored the advantage before the interval.

Alkmaar anguish
Goals from Wesley Sneijder and Steven Peinaar made it 4-1 by 61 minutes and although Tarik Sekioui reduced the deficit with a late volley, Ajax sealed a comfortable win to move within a point of their opponents and a Champions League spot for next season.

Feyenoord form
Feyenoord are also in contention after recording their eighth successive victory with a 2-0 reverse at NAC Breda to close within four points of Alkmaar. Salomon Kalou broke the deadlock with his 18th goal of the season on 43 minutes although it was not until eight minutes from time that Shinji Ono made the points safe.

Twente rise
SBV Vitesse Arnhem remain fifth following a 1-1 draw at NEC Nijmegen but the slip allowed FC Twente to climb alongside them after Jason Culina scored twice in a 2-1 win against SC Heerenveen. Ugur Yildirim pulled one back on the hour mark but Heerenveen's hopes of another UEFA Cup run next season are now fading as they drop to seventh.

Strugglers resigned
At the bottom, De Graafschap and RBC Roosendaal look destined for the relegation play-offs after respective losses against ADO Den Haag and FC Gronigen, while Jason Oost's second-half strike earned RKC Waalwijk the points against Roda JC.