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Ajax overcome Tilburg to close in on leaders

PSV Eindhoven, a point above champions Ajax in the Dutch first division, are top at the midway point of the season with 37 points from 17 matches despite being held to a 1-1 draw at NEC Nijmegen on Saturday.

They lead the standings on goal difference from Twente Enschede, who beat derby rivals Heracles Almelo 3-2 on Friday.

"If you take an early 2-0 lead you should seal a match quite easily but then you give away two easy goals and that forces you to use a lot of power to clinch the win," Ajax coach Frank de Boer told reporters.

Skipper De Jong added: "It was no surprise for me that we restored the lead from a set piece as we pay a lot of attention to those."

In the second half, Danny Holla converted a penalty for Den Haag while Feyenoord's Bruno Martins Indi was sent off for a profession foul on 57 minutes.

"I am very angry about Beugelsdijk's action as I warned him during the break to avoid the battles he got involved in the whole match and then he does something like this," said Den Haag coach Maurice Steijn.