Milik brace keeps Ajax on course for title

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Two second half goals from Polish forward Arek Milik handed Ajax Amsterdam a 2-0 victory away at Heerenveen on Wednesday to return his side to the summit of the Dutch league.

The win moves Ajax to 78 points from 32 games and ahead of defending champions PSV Eindhoven on goal-difference with two matches left to play.

Milik struck first from the penalty-spot on 57 minutes after a handball in the Heerenveen box, before adding a second shortly afterwards to take his league tally for the season to 21.

Third-placed Feyenoord were held to a 2-2 draw by Heracles as they were twice forced to come from behind, perhaps their thoughts already on Sunday’s Dutch Cup final against Utrecht.

PEC Zwolle moved into the UEFA Europa League playoff positions with a 2-0 home win over NEC Nijmegen, while Twente Enschede added to the relegation woes of Excelsior Rotterdam with a victory by the same scoreline.

Excelsior are one point above the relegation playoff positions, but have played a game more than Willem II below them, who are in action against bottom side Cambuur on Thursday.

(Reporting by Nick Said in Cape Town, editing by Pritha Sarkar)