AMSTERDAM: PSV Eindhoven won 2-0 away at Utrecht on Sunday to stay a point ahead of Ajax Amsterdam as the Dutch league title race turned into a battle between the two.
Colombian defender Santiago Arias and new arrival Marco van Ginkel scored in the opening 20 minutes to settle the result for PSV as they advanced to 53 points.
Ajax had earlier left fourth-placed Feyenoord all but out of contention with a 2-1 home victory after also missing a second half penalty.
Heracles Almelo are a distant third on 38 points with Feyenoord, who had looked strong candidates early in the campaign but lost for a sixth successive league game, on 36.
Arias opened PSV's account in 15th minute after being set up by Luuk de Jong and Van Ginkel was on the score sheet six minutes later to mark his return to Dutch football after moving from Stoke City last week.
Riechedly Bazoer struck from some 25 metres out to win the game for Ajax, after they had gone behind to Feyenoord in the 13th minute.
Feyenoord struck first through Jens Toornstra, who also netted from long range to catch out Ajax, but Amin Yoiunes equalised eight minutes later as he sped away from the Feyenoord defence.
The 19-year-old Bazoer's 65th minute strike was followed just three minutes later by a penalty for Ajax but Nemanja Gudelj shot wide to ensure a nervy ending for the home fans.
"We were the team that tried to take the initiative," Ajax coach Frank de Boer told FOX Sports.
Groningen climbed two places to seventh spot after beating second from bottom SC Cambuur 2-0 while bottom placed De Graafschap, down to 10 men early in the second half, drew 1-1 at home with NEC Nijmegen and are now just one point adrift.
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