Ajax slip again as Feyenoord take over top spot in the Eredivisie

Michel Sanchez's Ajax stumbled again in the Eredivisie and dropped more points at the Johan Cruyff Arena, this time drawing 1-1 with NEC Nijmegen. With Barcelona loanee Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal, the Amsterdam side could not find a winner and squandered the chance to gain ground on the top spots after the previous leaders lost earlier in the matchday.

• Ajax drew 1-1 at home against NEC Nijmegen and have now gone two straight games without a home win.
• Tolu Arokodare put Ajax ahead early, but Tjaronn Chory equalised from the penalty spot before the break.
• Feyenoord beat AZ Alkmaar 2-0 with goals from Nacho Ferri and Javi Lopez to become the new leaders.
• Ajax sit fifth with 15 points, five behind Feyenoord in the table.

How Ajax drew with NEC Nijmegen

The match started well for Michel Sanchez's team. Only seven minutes had been played when Tolu Arokodare made it 1-0 with a clever headed finish that beat the visiting goalkeeper. The goal looked set to put Ajax on track and restored some positive feelings after the previous setback in the same stadium.

The joy was short-lived, however. In the 19th minute, Tjaronn Chory converted a penalty to level the score. From that moment on, the game became scrappy and neither side managed to change the scoreline. Ajax were left with the feeling of having wasted a valuable opportunity.

Ajax stuck at home in the Eredivisie

This result marks Ajax's second consecutive home draw in the Eredivisie. Before the international break, Sanchez's side had already been held to a 2-2 draw by Excelsior at their own ground, a result that set alarm bells ringing in Amsterdam. Now, the 1-1 against NEC repeats that trend and frustrates any attempt to get closer to the top.

Ajax remain fifth in the table with 15 points from 8 matches. The leader's defeat on this matchday presented an open door to close the gap, but the Dutch side's attacking output again fell short. Ter Stegen, who had a relatively quiet game apart from the penalty he conceded, could not celebrate a win in his second straight start.

Feyenoord topple AZ to go top

While Ajax struggle for consistency, Feyenoord took full advantage of the matchday to make a statement. Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side hosted AZ Alkmaar at De Kuip and handed them their first league defeat of the season with a 2-0 win. Nacho Ferri opened the scoring in the 13th minute and the Spaniard Javi Lopez, on loan from Real Sociedad, sealed it just after the hour mark.

With the victory, Feyenoord move to 20 points and sit top of the Eredivisie. PSV, who beat Heerenveen 2-0 on Friday, are one point behind in second, while AZ are level on 19 with the Eindhoven side. The title race is tightening week by week and any slip can change the order.

Eredivisie table and Ajax's next challenge

The upper part of the table is now led by Feyenoord, closely followed by PSV and AZ. Ajax watch from fifth place with a five-point gap to the new leaders, a deficit that is still manageable but forces Sanchez's side to react immediately.

The Spanish coach needs to recover the consistency that allowed the club to compete for top spots in previous seasons. Back-to-back home draws are a heavy burden for a team used to dominating on their own ground, and the coming matchday looks like another test to prove this rough patch is only temporary.

Frequently asked questions about Ajax and the Eredivisie lead