The Eredivisie returned from the international break this past weekend in emphatic style with the ball hitting the back of the net a massive 32 times in nine games. And with five games gone the top five is beginning to look pretty familiar, despite last season's runners up FC Twente relinquishing their 100% record on their visit to Roda JC last Saturday.
Roda didn't look the most likely side to bring the Enschede side down to earth having not managed a point since their opening day win over Groningen, but they managed a 2-1 win last Saturday to double their points tally for the season so far. However, it was the away side that broke the deadlock when Marc Janko netted his 6th of the season to put Twente ahead.
But it was short lived, as Ruud Vormer put Roda back on level terms just a minute later. Mitchell Donald made it 2-1 to the hosts just two minutes into the second half, and despite pressure from both sides that's how it remained, a result that sees Twente slip from first to third in the table.
Defending champions Ajax made it 18 goals in just five games and kept up their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-2 win away at Heracles. It was Heracles who struck first, Wily Overtoom's fine volley making it 1-0 31 minutes in, but the sides went in level at the break as Siem De Jong found the net on the stroke of half time.
De Jong then added a second for Ajax on 64 with Miralem Sulejmani making it 3-1 with nine minutes left to play. It was a nervy ending for the now league leaders however, as Glynor Plet reduced the deficit making it 3-2 with a minute to go. Lorenzo Ebicilio was dismissed for Ajax in stoppage time, but they held out for the win.
AZ Alkmaar proved to much for Vitesse Arnhem, beating them 4-0 with an impressive and crushing first half display. Swede Pontus Wernbloom was first and second on the score sheet, scoring two in the space of five minutes (22 and 27) to make it 2-0. Roy Beerens made it three with 38 minutes gone and Rasmus Elm ended the game as a contest before half time as he made it 4-0 from the spot. Any slim chance Vitesse did have of a second half turn around were quashed when Wilfried Bony saw red twenty minutes from time, and AZ took the points to move to second in the table.
New boys RKC Waalwijk continued their impressive start to the campaign, now finding themselves in 6th after a 1-0 away triumph over ADO Den Haag. Rick ten Voorde scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute to earn Waalwijk all three points and leave the newly promoted side breathing down the necks of the Eredivisie's big guns.
De Graafschap got their first win of the new season this past weekend in a hard fought 1-0 victory over visiting NEC Nijmegen. The only goal of the game came in the 24th minute through Soufian El Hassnaoui, scoring his second of the season, which proved enough for Graafschap to pick up the win.
VVV Venlo are still in search of their first win after a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to PSV on Sunday. It looked like plain sailing for Eindhoven in the first half, Ola Toivonen and a seventh of the season for Dries Mertens made it 2-0 by half time. But Ferry De Regt (48) and Uche Nwofor (52) levelled things up after the break, with Maya Yoshida completing the turn around just two minutes later.
Venlo couldn't hold on for the win though and ex Villa man Wilfred Bouma spared PSV's blushes as his goal levelled the game once again on 76. Marcel Meeuwis' red card left the hosts with ten men late on, but the game ended 3-3.
Feyenoord kept up their unbeaten start to the season as they continue to put last season firmly behind them, beating NAC Breda 3-1. The Rotterdammers suffered an early setback when Robbert Schilder put hosts Breda a goal to the good with just seven minutes on the clock. Half an hour later Otman Bakkal's header levelled things up, and after the break on the hour mark Karim El Ahmadi made it 2-1 to Feyenoord. John Guidetti wrapped on the points from the penalty spot making it 3-1 three minutes from time.
FC Groningen continue to look unable to repeat their attempts to crash the top four as they tried to last season, as they were condemned to a 3-0 defeat at Heerenveen, their first win of the season. Bas Dost made it 1-0 on the stroke of half time and Oussma Assaidi doubled the home side's lead from the edge of the area in the 62nd minute. Filip Djuricic made it 3-0 to wrap up the win for Heerenveen and move them up to 12th in the table.
SC Excelsior remain bottom of the Eredivisie with just a point after a closely fought game against FC Utrecht ended in a 3-2 loss. Jason Oost put the basement side a goal up after just five minutes only for Nana Asare (26) and Ismo Vostermans (33) to make it 2-1 to Utrecht by half time. Excelsior's task was then made even harder when Samuel Scheimann saw red five minutes into the second half, there followed a goal from Asare seven minutes later to make it 3-1. Joost Broerse pulled one back for Excelsior on 69, but it wasn't enough and the game ended 3-2.