AZ Alkmaar left it late to record their 10th home win in a row and move nine points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table after a 1-0 win over Roda JC.
Mounir El Hamdaoui struck the winner with 14 minutes remaining to see off the spirited challenge of struggling Roda JC.
The hosts' closest challengers are now FC Twente, who beat NAC Breda 4-1 tonight, as Ajax slipped to third.
AZ have now won every one of their home games in the league since the opening day of the season, but that run looked under threat as Roda started strongly.
Home keeper Sergio Romero turned Sekou Cisse's shot from outside the area behind for a corner and then deflected Davy De Fauw's long-range effort away with his foot, Andres Oper sending the follow-up wide of the left post.
There were 30 minutes on the clock before AZ had their first shot, El Hamdaoui firing past the right post.
David Mendes Da Silva went closer seven minutes later when Demy De Zeeuw's cross from the right reached him, but Bram Castro pushed his effort behind.
El Hamdaoui's chip then beat Castro only to drop wide, but AZ had Romero to thank for keeping them on level terms in first-half stoppage time when he saved from Oper after the striker had danced past two defenders.
The visitors continued to keep Romero busy after the break, the stopper keeping out Edwin Linssen's 30-yard shot and tipping away Oper's left-footed drive, which had looked headed for the far right corner.
The breakthrough, though, came at the other end as Moussa Dembele's ball in from the right picked out El Hamdaoui and the forward fired an angled right-footed shot past Castro in the 76th minute.
Substitute Graziano Pelle headed wide from Sebastien Pocognoli's deep left-wing cross a minute later and Mendes da Silva forced a smart save from Castro as AZ looked the put the game to bed.
Louis van Gaal's men had to play the final five minutes a man light after Pocognoli went off injured, the manager having already used his three subs, but they held on for a victory which moves them a step closer to the title.
The hosts' closest challengers are now FC Twente, who beat NAC Breda 4-1 tonight, as Ajax slipped to third.
AZ have now won every one of their home games in the league since the opening day of the season, but that run looked under threat as Roda started strongly.
Home keeper Sergio Romero turned Sekou Cisse's shot from outside the area behind for a corner and then deflected Davy De Fauw's long-range effort away with his foot, Andres Oper sending the follow-up wide of the left post.
There were 30 minutes on the clock before AZ had their first shot, El Hamdaoui firing past the right post.
David Mendes Da Silva went closer seven minutes later when Demy De Zeeuw's cross from the right reached him, but Bram Castro pushed his effort behind.
El Hamdaoui's chip then beat Castro only to drop wide, but AZ had Romero to thank for keeping them on level terms in first-half stoppage time when he saved from Oper after the striker had danced past two defenders.
The visitors continued to keep Romero busy after the break, the stopper keeping out Edwin Linssen's 30-yard shot and tipping away Oper's left-footed drive, which had looked headed for the far right corner.
The breakthrough, though, came at the other end as Moussa Dembele's ball in from the right picked out El Hamdaoui and the forward fired an angled right-footed shot past Castro in the 76th minute.
Substitute Graziano Pelle headed wide from Sebastien Pocognoli's deep left-wing cross a minute later and Mendes da Silva forced a smart save from Castro as AZ looked the put the game to bed.
Louis van Gaal's men had to play the final five minutes a man light after Pocognoli went off injured, the manager having already used his three subs, but they held on for a victory which moves them a step closer to the title.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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