Ajax went ahead courtesy of a slip from PEC goalkeeper Kevin Begois that allowed Amin Younes to score before halftime and they added a second near the end from substitute Thulani Serero.
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PEC have proved a tough opponent in recent times for Ajax, including beating them in last year’s Dutch Cup final, but it was a comfortable win for the former European champions on Sunday.
They are now on 35 points from 14 matches above second-placed Feyenoord who had joined them at the top after a 4-2 derby win over Excelsior Rotterdam on Saturday.
Champions PSV Eindhoven enjoyed a 3-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar to move to 31 points, set on their way by a second-minute own goal after which Luuk de Jong scored twice to take his tally at the top of the league scoring chart to 13.
Fourth-placed Heracles Almelo lost ground on the leaders as they went down 4-2 at Utrecht.
Nacer Barazite and Sebastien Haller netted doubles in Utrecht’s win, which came despite them having to play the second half with 10 men after full back Kevin Conboy was sent off just before the break for two bookable offences.
Vitesse won their derby over NEC Nijmegen 1-0 with a shot into the far corner from Valeri Qazaishvili early in the second half. Vitesse are in fifth place, 11 points behind the leaders.
Groningen's Danny Hoesen scored deep in stoppage time to snatch a 2-1 home win over ADO Den Haag that lifted his side to sixth, level on 24 poins with Vitesse.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Rob Hodgetts)
