PSV Eindhoven failed to extend their lead at the top of the Eredivisie to five points on Sunday after a 1-1 draw against a VVV-Venlo side which played for almost 60 minutes with 10 men.
Defending champions PSV fell behind in the first minute when Rachid Ofrany gave the home side a shock lead but Balazs Dzsudzsak levelled matters 11 minutes later.
The 33rd-minute dismissal of VVV's Peter Reekers ought to have given PSV the impetus to go on and win the game but they met some stubborn resistance from the lowly hosts.
Second-placed Ajax were also held to a 1-1 draw by NEC Nijmegen.
Jeremain Lens put NEC in front but the prolific Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hauled the Amsterdammers level with 16 minutes remaining.
FC Twente moved above FC Groningen and into fourth after beating their rivals for a European place 3-1.
Blaise Nkufo scored twice for Twente to add to an effort from Orlando Engelaar.
Goran Lovre scored for Ron Jans' side, cancelling out Nkufo's opener.
Performance of the day came from Sparta Rotterdam, the relegation strugglers thrashing De Graafschap 6-1.
Yuri Rose, Charles Dissels and Sepp De Roover gave Sparta a 3-0 lead inside 26 minutes before Arnar Vidarsson pulled one back for the visitors.
But an own goal from Resit Schuurman and strikes from Dissels and Nourdin Boukhari gave the scoreline an emphatic look.
On Saturday, Heerenveen recorded their first league win in five games as they crushed AZ Alkmaar 4-0.
The home side were ahead in only the third minute through Danijel Pranjic's penalty and were 3-0 up by half-time as Jacob Poulsen and Miralem Sulejmani found the target.
Michael Bradley put the result beyond doubt 10 minutes into the second half as AZ could find no reply to the hosts' attacking force.
Three FC Utrecht goals in the space of six first-half minutes proved enough to see off Roda JC 3-1.
Robin Nelisse bagged a quickfire double just after the half-hour mark, before Gregoor van Dijk's penalty made it three after 37 minutes.
Andres Oper struck after 53 minutes to provide some consolation to Roda, who also had Marcel Meeuwis sent off five minutes from time.
Heracles coach Gert Heerkes' honeymoon period came to an end as he saw his Eredivisie strugglers beaten 2-0 by in-form Vitesse Arnhem.
Vitesse captain Remco van der Schaaf opened the scoring just before half-time before Santi Kolk added a second on 53 minutes.
Willem II shot themselves in the foot as a Thomas Baelum own goal saw their hopes of survival falter with a 1-0 defeat at NAC Breda.
On Friday night, Feyenoord suffered a humiliating 2-1 derby defeat to Excelsior.
The hosts started the day at the bottom of the standings but stunned third-placed Feyenoord with goals from Michel van Guldener and Geert den Ouden in the opening 11 minutes.
Danny Buijs' strike 10 minutes from time finally got the visitors onto the scoresheet, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
The 33rd-minute dismissal of VVV's Peter Reekers ought to have given PSV the impetus to go on and win the game but they met some stubborn resistance from the lowly hosts.
Second-placed Ajax were also held to a 1-1 draw by NEC Nijmegen.
Jeremain Lens put NEC in front but the prolific Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hauled the Amsterdammers level with 16 minutes remaining.
FC Twente moved above FC Groningen and into fourth after beating their rivals for a European place 3-1.
Blaise Nkufo scored twice for Twente to add to an effort from Orlando Engelaar.
Goran Lovre scored for Ron Jans' side, cancelling out Nkufo's opener.
Performance of the day came from Sparta Rotterdam, the relegation strugglers thrashing De Graafschap 6-1.
Yuri Rose, Charles Dissels and Sepp De Roover gave Sparta a 3-0 lead inside 26 minutes before Arnar Vidarsson pulled one back for the visitors.
But an own goal from Resit Schuurman and strikes from Dissels and Nourdin Boukhari gave the scoreline an emphatic look.
On Saturday, Heerenveen recorded their first league win in five games as they crushed AZ Alkmaar 4-0.
The home side were ahead in only the third minute through Danijel Pranjic's penalty and were 3-0 up by half-time as Jacob Poulsen and Miralem Sulejmani found the target.
Michael Bradley put the result beyond doubt 10 minutes into the second half as AZ could find no reply to the hosts' attacking force.
Three FC Utrecht goals in the space of six first-half minutes proved enough to see off Roda JC 3-1.
Robin Nelisse bagged a quickfire double just after the half-hour mark, before Gregoor van Dijk's penalty made it three after 37 minutes.
Andres Oper struck after 53 minutes to provide some consolation to Roda, who also had Marcel Meeuwis sent off five minutes from time.
Heracles coach Gert Heerkes' honeymoon period came to an end as he saw his Eredivisie strugglers beaten 2-0 by in-form Vitesse Arnhem.
Vitesse captain Remco van der Schaaf opened the scoring just before half-time before Santi Kolk added a second on 53 minutes.
Willem II shot themselves in the foot as a Thomas Baelum own goal saw their hopes of survival falter with a 1-0 defeat at NAC Breda.
On Friday night, Feyenoord suffered a humiliating 2-1 derby defeat to Excelsior.
The hosts started the day at the bottom of the standings but stunned third-placed Feyenoord with goals from Michel van Guldener and Geert den Ouden in the opening 11 minutes.
Danny Buijs' strike 10 minutes from time finally got the visitors onto the scoresheet, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
Copyright (c) Press Association
Related Articles
Matildas Abroad: A jam-packed weekend ahead
Two Aussie A-League defenders leave Victory for overseas
