PSV held at home to hand Ajax opportunity to take over top spot

Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Heerenveen at Philips Stadion.

PSV Eindhoven and Heerenveen fought out a draw at Philips Stadion Source: AAP

PSV, who face Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie next week, fell behind early in the second half.

Mitchell te Vrede broke into the PSV penalty area on 53 minutes and slotted in off the legs of goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet.

The home side were level inside three minutes, though, when Luciano Narsingh floated over a curling cross from the right, which captain Luuk de Jong met in the six-yard box to plant a diving header past Erwin Mulder.

Despite plenty of pressure, PSV were unable to conjure a winner and will be knocked off top spot should Ajax, now two points behind, get a win against NEC Nijmegen at the Amsterdam ArenA later this weekend.

The two title challengers will then go head-to-head in Eindhoven the following weekend.

AZ moved back above Feyenoord into third place as two second-half Vincent Janssen goals secured them a 2-0 win at Willem II.

The first came from the penalty spot on 70 minutes and he added another six minutes later from a quick break down the right as John van den Brom's men collected an impressive eighth win from nine Eredivisie matches in 2016.

FC Twente returned to winning ways as they came from behind to beat Zwolle 2-1 at De Grolsch Veste.

Kingsley Ehizibue gave the visitors the lead from close range on 28 minutes.

However, Twente - who had won five matches in a row to pull clear of the relegation fight before losing at Den Haag - levelled at the start of the second half on 47 minutes when Hakim Ziyech curled in from the edge of the penalty area.

Forward Jerson Cabral secured victory for the hosts on 55 minutes when his angled drive deflected up over the Zwolle goalkeeper.

Excelsior boosted their survival hopes by beating Groningen 2-1 at Stadion Woudestein, which was a second win out of three matches.

Tom van Weert put the hosts in front on 49 minutes, with a penalty from Jeff Stans doubling the lead just six minutes later.

A diving header from substitute Michael de Leeuw reduced the deficit with 19 minutes left, but Excelsior closed out victory to move level on 25 points with 15th-placed Willem II.