Ajax back on top with easy 4-0 win
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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Reuters) -- Ajax Amsterdam cruised to a 4-0 win over lowly ADO Den Haag to regain the lead in the Dutch first division ahead of next weekend's top-of-the-table clash with PSV Eindhoven.
Ajax and PSV, who beat Vitesse Arnhem 3-0 on Saturday to snatch the lead for 24 hours, both have 46 points but the Amsterdam side are top by virtue of having played a match less.
Feyenoord are third with 37 points from 19 matches after their 3-2 win over Twente Enschede on Sunday.
AZ Alkmaar stayed fourth on 33 after losing 3-1 at Roda JC Kerkrade on Saturday.
Japanese former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Kazuyuki Toda had a terrible debut for ADO with an own goal after five minutes.
Victor Sikora and Wesley Sneijder sealed Ajax's win before the break, while Romanian Nicolea Mitea made it four in a good counter-attack in the 78th minute.
Thomas Buffel and Dirk Kuijt gave Feyenoord a comfortable 2-0 halftime lead at home to Twente with an assist and a goal each. Buffel scored his second with 21 minutes remaining.
Sjaak Polak and Ramon Zomer scored for the visitors, who meet Feyenoord again at home on Wednesday in their Dutch Cup quarter-final.
Relegation strugglers Volendam, without coach Henk Wisman who was sacked on Thursday, notched up a surprise 1-0 win at Groningen to climb two places to 15th.
With 14 minutes remaining Maurice Buys sealed their fourth win with a penalty and Groningen finished with 10 men after Mathias Floren's dismissal in the 82nd.
Zwolle grabbed a point in a 1-1 home draw with Utrecht. Jasar Takak gave Zwolle the lead after 11 minutes but before the break Abdelhali Chaiat sealed the draw.
Willem II Tilburg and NAC Breda also shared the points as their derby also ended 1-1. Johan Elmander opened the scoring for the visitors, but Tom Caluwe equalized three minutes before the final whistle.
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