Sparta coasts past NAC Breda

Nov 30, 2008 - 4:25 PM By PA SportsTicker

NAC Breda missed the chance to reclaim a share of top spot in the Eredivisie after being crushed 4-0 at struggling Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday.

NAC has been the surprise package in Holland this season but saw its good run come to an abrupt halt as it was swept aside by a Sparta side who have now scored 11 goals in their last three matches.

Arne Slot set the home side on their way and a double from Rydell Poepon effectively settled the contest before half-time.

Kevin Strootman completed NAC's misery midway through the second period.

NAC are three points behind leaders AZ Alkmaar, 2-0 winners at FC Groningen on Friday night, and also now trail Ajax on goal difference.

The Amsterdammers needed a goal on the hour mark from Miralem Sulejmani to rescue a point against FC Utrecht, who had earlier gone ahead through Sander Keller.

Feyenoord were unable to hang on to Roy Makaay's third-minute goal against Vitesse Arnhem with Paul Verhaegh levelling matters with 13 minutes to go.

NEC Nijmegen had no such problems as they swept aside rock-bottom FC Volendam 6-1 in Nijmegen.

Lasse Schone and Jhon van Beukering both scored twice with Ramon Zomer and Said Ntibazonkiza also getting on the scoresheet.

Gerson Sheotahul netted Volendam's sole reply late on.

In yesterday's action, Heerenveen squandered a 2-0 lead in the last eight minutes to end up with only a draw for their efforts at home to PSV Eindhoven.

PSV's comeback came thanks to goals from Danny Koevermans and Stefan Nijland - after Heerenveen had taken the lead in the 16th minute when Roy Beerens converted Danijel Pranjic's testing cross into the box.

It was 2-0 when Beerens bagged his second in the 65th minute.

Heracles Almelo bounced back from their 4-0 hammering by PSV last weekend by grinding out a 1-0 win at home to Willem II.

The visitors struggled in the absence of suspended top scorer Frank Demouge, and Heracles edged a scrappy game when Willie Overtoom stuck after 66 minutes.

An 81st-minute goal from Marko Arnautovic chalked up a 2-1 win for FC Twente and condemned their hosts ADO Den Haag to their seventh consecutive league defeat.

Arnautovic struck the winner for Steve McClaren's men just four minutes after Leroy Resodihardjo thought he had nicked a point for the hosts when he cancelled out Theo Janssen's first-half opener.

Jason Oost's late leveller earned De Graafschap a precious point from a 1-1 draw at home to fellow strugglers Roda JC.

Oost struck with eight minutes remaining to cancel out Anouar Hadouir's opener, as second-bottom De Graafschap earned only a third point from the last 30 available.

Roda had gone in front just after the hour when Hadouir fired into the roof of the net from Ruud Vormer's corner.