Feyenoord made it four wins in a row in the Eredivisie with a gritty 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, thanks to a first-half own goal that ultimately separated the two sides. With the win, Robin van Persie’s side continued their strong form and moved to within two points of second-placed PSV, who play later this weekend.

Despite failing to register a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes, Feyenoord found the breakthrough in the first half when Zico Buurmeester miscontrolled a back pass and inadvertently headed the ball over his own goalkeeper, Jeroen Zoet. The clumsy error proved costly for AZ, who have now failed to win in their last five Eredivisie matches.

Feyenoord Stay Ruthless Despite Quiet Attack

Coming off impressive wins over FC Twente (6-2), Go Ahead Eagles (3-2), and FC Groningen (4-1), Feyenoord entered the clash in Alkmaar with momentum — and left with another vital three points, even if the performance was far from dominant.

AZ looked toothless in attack and shaky in defense throughout the first half. Manager Maarten Martens made changes early in the second half, introducing Kees Smit and the returning Ruben van Bommel, son of former Dutch star Marc van Bommel, to inject some spark.

While Feyenoord looked to have doubled the lead twice after the break through Anis Hadj Moussa and Julian Carranza, both efforts were ruled out — the former for offside and the latter for a foul in the buildup.

Wellenreuther the Hero Between the Sticks

In the dying minutes, AZ nearly found an equalizer when Jayden Addai unleashed a surprise strike, but Timon Wellenreuther produced a brilliant stop — one of five saves on the day — to preserve Feyenoord’s slim lead.

With the win, Feyenoord became only the second Eredivisie team in the past 16 seasons to win a match without a shot on target — a stat that speaks to the defensive discipline and opportunism instilled by new manager Robin van Persie.

The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker looked on proudly from the sidelines as his team grinded out an important away win to keep their title and top-two hopes alive.

AZ’s Season in Danger of Collapse

AZ Alkmaar, meanwhile, are slipping down the table and now face a race against time to find form ahead of their upcoming Dutch Cup Final in two weeks. With just one win in their last seven matches, the club from Alkmaar has likely conceded any hope of finishing in the top three.

Eredivisie Standings (Top 4)

Ajax – 70 pts

PSV – 66 pts (game in hand)

Feyenoord – 64 pts

FC Twente – 59 pts

Next Fixtures

• Feyenoord vs NEC Nijmegen – Can Van Persie’s men continue their title push?
• AZ vs Heerenveen – Last chance to regain form before the cup final
• PSV vs FC Groningen – High stakes for the reigning champs

For more Eredivisie match reports, Robin van Persie managerial updates, and AZ Alkmaar news, stay connected to Sportsligue.com.

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