Ajax Amsterdam beat hosts Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 in the ninth round of the Eredivisie, lifting their tally to 18 points and moving up to fourth, while Sparta remain on 9 points in 14th.
What changed for the two teams?
Ajax went into the match with 15 points, and after the win they now have 18, moving from fifth to fourth, benefiting from Fortuna Sittard’s slip-up. Sparta Rotterdam, meanwhile, remain on 9 points, staying in 14th, but they are edging closer to the danger zone as the gap to the teams fighting relegation persists.
Title race and the gap at the top
Feyenoord lead the table with 23 points from 9 matches and a goal difference of +21, followed by AZ Alkmaar with 20 points, then PSV Eindhoven with 19. Ajax are fourth with 18 points, meaning the gap to the top is just 5 points, with a postponed match that could give them a chance to close the gap later. The battle for European places looks open, especially with the points tightly packed between second and fourth.
Who else is affected?
Fortuna Sittard’s setback (18 points from 10 matches) has seen them drop to fifth on goal difference behind Ajax. Twente are sixth with 17 points, and Heerenveen seventh with 15 points from 10 matches. At the bottom, Willem II remain rooted to the foot of the table with just 2 points, while ADO Den Haag and Telstar are on 6 points each, hinting at a fierce survival battle.
Eredivisie standings (key positions)
- Feyenoord — 23 points (9 matches, GD +21)
- AZ Alkmaar — 20 points (9 matches, GD +10)
- PSV Eindhoven — 19 points (9 matches, GD +15)
- Ajax Amsterdam — 18 points (9 matches, GD +15)
- Fortuna Sittard — 18 points (10 matches, GD 0)
- Twente — 17 points (9 matches, GD +7)
- Heerenveen — 15 points (10 matches, GD +5)
- Groningen — 14 points (9 matches, GD +3)
- Sparta Rotterdam — 9 points (9 matches, GD -6)
- Telstar — 6 points (10 matches, GD -9)
- ADO Den Haag — 6 points (10 matches, GD -10)
- Willem II — 2 points (10 matches, GD -22)
InfoSports numbers
- Ajax increased their tally from 15 to 18 points and moved up one place in the table.
- Sparta Rotterdam failed to make home advantage count and remain on 9 points.
- The gap between Ajax (fourth) and Feyenoord (leaders) is just 5 points.
Ajax host AZ Alkmaar on Saturday 31 October in a highly anticipated clash that could reshape the top positions, while Sparta Rotterdam visit Groningen on Sunday 1 November in a match where they will look to improve their standing.
