Dutch title race wide open after defeats of PSV and AZ
February 20th, 2012 - 3:59 pm ICT by IANSThe Hague (Netherlands), Feb 20 (IANS) Dutch League leaders PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar suffered heavy defeats, while title rivals FC Twente and Ajax registered easy wins.
PSV lost 0-3 away at FC Groningen Sunday. Korean striker Suk Hyun Jun opened the scoring, midfielder Leandro Bacuna made it 2-0 just after half-time and Jun added another goal with a thumping long-distance shot. PSV played with ten men since the 56th minute, because Stanislav Manolev received his second booking for diving.
“I am shocked by my team’s performance,” PSV coach Fred Rutten was quoted as saying by Xinhua. “We did not show at all that we want to become champions.”
AZ had one man down after fifteen minutes, due to a red card for a foul on Nana Asare. Alexander Gerndt scored the first goal from the penalty spot and also produced the second one. Edouard Duplan handed FC Utrecht a 3-0 lead at half-time, which was also the final score.
“Unfortunately I am not allowed to substitute eleven players,” AZ coach Gertjan Verbeek said afterwards. “We weren’t aggressive and focused at all at the beginning. Why? I don’t know.”
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- PSV extend lead after win over Feyenoord - Feb 27, 2012
- PSV, AZ through to semi-finals in Dutch Cup - Feb 03, 2012
- Ajax close in on Dutch title - Apr 23, 2012
- Ajax title party delayed despite win over FC Twente - Apr 30, 2012
- Dutch league match suspended due to dense fog - Nov 21, 2011
- Europa League: Manchester United edge out Ajax, Valencia beat Stoke - Feb 24, 2012
- PSV eliminate holders FC Twente in Dutch Cup - Dec 23, 2011
- Coach Rutten to leave PSV at end of season - Dec 31, 2011
- Russia coach Advocaat to manage PSV after Euro 2012 - May 11, 2012
- PSV fire coach Rutten - Mar 13, 2012
- AZ coach Verbeek gets one-match ban - Mar 21, 2012
- Dutch football league title becomes two-team race - Mar 26, 2012
Tags: ajax, asare, az alkmaar, dutch league, dutch title, edouard duplan, fc groningen, fc utrecht, fifteen minutes, final score, hague netherlands, league leaders, midfielder, psv, rivals, rutten, stanislav, suk, twente, xinhua