Ajax jump to second place in Eredivisie

Ajax are second in the Dutch Eredivisie after a 1-5 win at last-placed RKC Waalwijk on Sunday. AZ earned a small win at Sparta.

Ajax needed the win to surpass PSV Eindhoven in the ranking, and reduce the gap with leaders Twente to four points.

Siem de Jong put Martin Jol’s side in the lead on nine minutes but an own goal from Marko Pantelic restored the balance in the 27th.

In the second half it was all Ajax. Luis Suarez netted for 1-2 in the second minute after the break, and Hans Mulder directed the ball past his own goalkeeper five minutes after the hour, 1-3.

In the 85th minute, Suarez added another and Danish winger Dennis Rommedahl finished it off with the visitors’ fifth a minute later.

RKC went a man down in the 69th minute when Ruud Berger conceded his second yellow card.

Reigning champions AZ Alkmaar secured a 0-1 win at Sparta, with David Mendes da Silva scoring the only goal in the fourth minute.