Ajax twice came from behind to inflict PSV Eindhovenβs first defeat of the season and breathe new life into the Eredivisie title race.
The 3-2 win in Amsterdam leaves Francesco Farioliβs side five points behind the league leaders with a game in hand, against Utrecht in early December.
Ajax took the game to PSV from the kick-off, but went behind in the 18th minute when Luuk de Jong slipped his marker to head in from a corner.
Davy Klaassen equalised just before half-time when he met Jorrel Hatoβs precise cross with a header that Walter Benitez could only palm into the net.
Veteran midfielder Ivan Perisic restored PSVβs lead 10 minutes into the second half, before Kian Fitz-Jim, standing in for the unfit Kenneth Taylor, capped an outstanding performance by smashing in a rebound.
The winner came from a blunder in the PSV defence when Malik Tillman misplaced a pass in front of his own goal, allowing Mika Godts to slot into an unguarded net.
Bosz: deserved defeat
PSV coach Peter Bosz accepted his team deserved to lose after a βterribleβ first half.
βIn the second half we were more composed on the ball and our pressing was better,β he said. βWe were the superior team, we got to 2-1 and should have made it 3-1, but didnβt, and then we gave away two goals.β
Utrecht are also five points off the lead with a game to spare after a 4-1 win at Sparta, who sacked their coach Jeroen Rijsdijk on Friday.
Former Ajax manager Maurice Steijn took charge of the Rotterdam club, but was unable to save them from a heavy home defeat. Utrecht held a 1-0 lead until the 85th minute thanks to Victor Jensenβs first goal of the season, before adding another three while Tobias Lauritsen converted a penalty for Sparta.
Feyenoord recovered from their midweek defeat by Ajax to edge out AZ in a tight contest in Alkmaar. Troy Parrott gave the home side the lead just before half-time, but Feyenoord turned the tables in the space of two second-half minutes when an own goal by David MΓΈller Wolfe was followed by Luka Ivanusecβs calm finish.
First RKC win
Bottom club RKC booked their first win of the season at the 11th attempt in a basement battle with Almere City to move within two points of their opponents.
Midfielder Richard van der Venne, making his first appearance after a two-month injury absence, scored with a left-footed shot in the 41st minute, before Silvester van der Water settled the match with a scything volley in the second half.
Groningenβs woes deepened as they slumped to a 6-0 defeat in Nijmegen. Koki Ogawa scored the first two goals, starting with a penalty after Vito van Crooij was floored in the fifth minute.
Van Crooij set up the next two goals before scoring the fourth, while Thomas Ouwejan completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Van Crooijβs replacement, Sami Ouaissa, had added a fifth.
Lammers on target
Twente managed a 1-0 win at Willem II despite the absence of the leagueβs top scorer, Sam Steijn, as Sam Lammers scored against his old club in the 58th minute.
Two goals by Loreintz Rosier set Fortuna Sittard on their way to a 3-0 win against Heerenveen to lift them up to seventh place, while Go Ahead Eagles are two points behind them after sharing the points in the IJsselderby against PEC Zwolle.
Brian De Keersmaecker scored both goals in Heraclesβ home win against NAC, including a speculative floating effort in the second half, under the watchful eye of Erik ten Hag, fresh from his dismissal by Manchester United.
Results
Saturday
Ajax 3-2 PSV Eindhoven
Feyenoord 3-2 AZ Alkmaar
Fortuna Sittard 3-0 Heerenveen
Heracles Almelo 2-0 NAC Breda
Willem II Tilburg 0-1 Twente Enschede
Sunday
Go Ahead Eagles 2-2 PEC Zwolle
NEC Nijmegen 6-0 Groningen
RKC Waalwijk 2-0 Almere City
Sparta Rotterdam 1-4 Utrecht