With a reduced schedule due to the KNVB giving clubs breathing room between crucial European fixtures, the Eredivisie still served up plenty. PSV and Feyenoord both delivered convincing wins and Rotterdam hosted a six‑goal spectacle writes Will Burns.
I have attached highlights from the clubs’ official YouTube channel where available so you can watch while you read along.
SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 2026
FORTUNA SITTARD 0-2 AZ ALKMAAR
AZ Alkmaar strengthened their grip on top spot with a 2–0 win away at Fortuna Sittard, thanks to a decisive brace from Jort Hornkamp. The match swung heavily in Alkmaar’s favour after just five minutes, when Ole Romeny was sent off and left Fortuna to battle almost the entire game with ten men. From that moment on, AZ dominated every phase: possession, territory, chances, corners — all one‑way traffic. Despite their control, the visitors needed patience, only breaking the deadlock in the 58th minute when substitute Hornkamp finally converted the pressure into a deserved goal lead.
Fortuna made a flurry of substitutions in an attempt to stay afloat, but AZ’s superiority never wavered. The away side continued to pin Fortuna deep, preventing them from registering a single shot on target. As the match moved into stoppage time, Hornkamp struck again, sealing the result and extinguishing any remaining hope for the hosts. AZ left Limburg with three points and sit at the top of the Eredivisie, while Fortuna drop to eighth on four points after a night defined by an early red card and relentless Alkmaar pressure.
SPARTA ROTTERDAM 3-3 FC UTRECHT
Nick Verschuren delivered the final twist of a chaotic night, heading in deep into second‑half stoppage time to secure a 3–3 draw for Sparta Rotterdam against FC Utrecht. The defender had hinted at his threat earlier, rising well from a set piece in the first half, and after the break he became a defensive anchor — clearing danger, winning aerial duels and keeping Utrecht’s counters under control. His influence grew as the match stretched, and when Joel Ideho whipped in a late cross, Verschuren timed his run perfectly to glance home the equaliser. His stat line, two attempts on goal, seven clearances and three aerial wins, summed up a performance that mattered in both boxes.
Utrecht struck first through Matisse Didden’s header from a Yoann Cathline corner on 16 minutes, only for Marvin Young to level just before the interval after a clever move involving Ayoni Santos and Bas Kuipers. Seconds after the half-time interval, Artem Stepanov restored Utrecht’s lead, but Milan Zonneveld soon equalised from a superb Shunsuke Mito pass on 67 minutes. Adrian Blake then made it 2–3, though Utrecht’s grip loosened when Kevin Paredes went off injured, leaving them to finish with ten men as they had used all the allotted subs. That disadvantage proved fatal as Verschuren’s late header denied Utrecht their first win under Anthony Correia.
SC HEERENVEEN 0-2 PEC ZWOLLE
Heerenveen’s defeat to PEC Zwolle was a wake-up call to Robin Veldman’s side, to remind to stay grounded despite successful early results. Heerenveen dominated the first half, created several chances and struck the crossbar through Dylan Vente, yet lacked efficiency. PEC Zwolle, winless until this weekend, survived the pressure thanks to Jasper Schendelaar’s saves and then struck immediately after the break. Dylan Mbayo’s brilliant run set up Nick Viergever for the first goal, and minutes later Koen Kostons doubled the lead, again with Mbayo heavily involved. Veldman acknowledged that even Heerenveen’s earlier good results required nuance, and this match exposed familiar issues, huge gaps between the lines, a midfield forced to cover too much ground, and a defence repeatedly stretched.
Up front, Vente’s ongoing struggle to find his role remains symbolic of Heerenveen’s wider problems. He works tirelessly and contributes defensively, yet rarely appears in the penalty area where he is most needed, and the system has not fully unlocked his strengths. Behind him, Ringo Meerveld drifted out of long phases of play, Dirk Proper and Marcus Linday were forced into marathon shifts, and the back line, particularly Vasilios Zagaritis against the explosive Mbayo, looked vulnerable. PEC Zwolle, looking sharper and more organised in the second half, took full advantage and deservedly ended their losing streak.
SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST 2026
GO AHEAD EAGLES 3-1 ADO DEN HAAG
Go Ahead Eagles moved up to second with a composed 3–1 win over ADO Den Haag, who remain bottom after a third straight defeat. The breakthrough at De Adelaarshorst took time, but Søren Tengstedt eventually curled in a fine opener from the left side of the box. He became the first Go Ahead player since Harry Decheiver in 1995 to score in four consecutive league matches.
ADO’s situation worsened just after the hour when Victor Edvardsen cut inside from the right and blasted into the roof of the net, with Tengstedt turning provider. ADO tried to respond and the efforts truly unsettled the hosts, and tension briefly returned when Evan Rottier calmly slotted into the corner with twelve minutes left, giving ADO hope of a late push. They pressed for an equaliser. Othniël Raterink hitting the side netting, but Go Ahead stayed composed and finished the job in stoppage time, Stefán Sigurdarson heading in from a pinpoint Dean James cross.
PSV 5-1 FC GRONINGEN
After opening the campaign with a 2–2 draw against Fortuna Sittard, there was no repeat at the Philips Stadion as PSV claimed their first home win of the season in emphatic fashion, smashing five past FC Groningen on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides created chances in a lively first half, but PSV’s attacking quality told as the match progressed. Groningen struck first through Brynjólfur Willumsson after a misplaced pass from Vaessen. This was the Icelandic strikers’ third goal in as many games. But PSV hit back immediately when Ruben Van Bommel’s burst down the right forced Thijmen Blokzijl into an own goal. Van Bommel then set up Croatian veteran Ivan Perišić for 2–1, and Ricardo Pepi added a penalty before the break to give the hosts a commanding 3–1 lead.
After halftime, Dick Lukkien replaced Schreuders in an attempt to contain Van Bommel, but his substitute Marco Rente lasted only nine minutes before going off injured. PSV capitalised ruthlessly: Perišić scored his second while Rente was still receiving treatment, and Sergino Dest made it 5–1 shortly afterwards. Groningen created little in the second half as PSV controlled the tempo and continued to threaten. Late on, Bosz handed debuts to new defensive signings Filip Kostić and Lutsharel Geertruida, rounding off a dominant afternoon that showcased PSV’s attacking sharpness, even if some first‑half defensive lapses remain a point of attention and may need to be addressed before the window shuts.
SC CAMBUUR 2-5 FEYENOORD
Feyenoord navigated a chaotic afternoon in Leeuwarden, beating Cambuur 5–2 in a match overshadowed by a serious fireworks incident. The game at Kooi Stadion was halted after around twelve minutes when fireworks were launched from the away section toward the pitch and nearby stands, forcing referee Danny Makkelie to suspend play. After consultations with safety officials, police and the mayor, the match eventually resumed without evacuating the Feyenoord end.
Once back underway, the Rotterdammers seized control when Gjivai Zechiël opened the scoring after a mix‑up between Thijs Jansen and Ayase Ueda after the keeper collided with the Japanese striker. Luciano Valente added a second following strong work from Gaoussou Diarra, and a Mika Mármol effort deflected in off Jansen for the third, the keeper, who had already been at fault for the first goal, was given the own goal. Just before the break, Ueda converted a penalty to make it 4-0.
The second half told a different story as Feyenoord eased off and Cambuur fought back. Nicolas Binder headed wide before Rafik El Arguioui struck twice, first finishing a move down the right and then converting again ten minutes later to bring the score to 4-2. Feyenoord, having made several substitutions and handed Javi López his debut, briefly lost control and even wasted a promising counter. The tension ended in the 83rd minute when Jordan Lotomba drilled a low cross to the near post, where Zechiël reacted sharply to tap in his second of the afternoon to restore the three‑goal cushion. on Thursday in the Conference League play‑offs.
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