By Jan-Kees Joosse (8/10/25)
Above: Feyenoord celebrate their first ever victory over FC Utrecht. Photo: FeyenoordV1 on X.
In the fourth week of the 2025-26 Vrouwen Eredivisie, Feyenoord won against FC Utrecht for the first time in history, Ajax scored twice in under a minute, and shoelaces became of vital importance.
Feyenoord celebrate first win ever over FC Utrecht
FC Utrecht 1-2 Feyenoord Rotterdam
In a tense mid-table clash, Feyenoord earned a historic victory — their first ever against FC Utrecht. The Rotterdammers showed their intent early and fully deserved the three points.
In the 23rd minute, Kokona Iwasaki opened the scoring with a stunning strike into the top corner. Feyenoord capitalized on the danger created by Iwasaki and Itamura, while striker Ella van Kerkhoven is still searching for form. FC Utrecht managed a few small threats of their own, but Feyenoord controlled the game with tactical discipline, effectively neutralizing the influence of Nikita Tromp in midfield.
However, the first half took a awful turn when Lotje Keijzer, the young Jong Oranje winger, went down hard. While pressing, her leg got caught in the turf and she fell screaming in pain. She was stretchered off the field, and everyone present feared a serious injury that could end her season.
After the break, FC Utrecht tried to find an equalizer through quick combination play, but Feyenoord responded with aggressive pressing and fierce duels. Yellow cards didn’t faze them — every foul was followed by high fives and encouragement. Despite Utrechts growing number of attempts, precision was lacking, while Feyenoord remained sharp and alert in intercepting passing lanes.
Their high pressing paid off again, and goalkeeper Bastiaen made a crucial save in the 67th minute to keep out a deflected shot. A warning sign, because after eight minutes Dechemaily Lont doubled the lead for Feyenoord with a composed finish to make it 2–0.
In the closing stages, Utrecht brought on Sam de Jong and Rochellity Dapp, who injected attacking energy into the side. In contrast, Feyenoord’s substitutions from Koopman and De Graaf reduced their attacking threat. The 17-year-old Dapp added unpredictability, and when Sam de Jong on the right flank had big impact. De Jong delivered a perfect cross, but Loonen’s shot went narrowly wide.
In stoppage time, Utrecht earned a penalty after another overly aggressive defensive action from Feyenoord — the same issue that cost them a point against Ajax last week. This time, though, the late goal wasn’t enough. For FC Utrecht, this result came to late for them. They remain at midtable with six points hoping the puzzle pieces will fall together for Linda Helblings team. Feyenoord are now points ahead with PSV and are challenging Ajax, PSV and FC Twente.
FC Twente outclass rivals PSV
PSV Eindhoven 1 – 3 FC Twente
FC Twente claimed a crucial 3–1 away victory over title rivals PSV, striking an early blow in the race for the national championship.
Last season, the two sides drew twice and were separated only by goal difference in the title battle — but this time, Twente emerged clearly on top.
PSV took the lead in the first half through Nina Nijstad, who fired past goalkeeper Lemeij just before halftime. But Twente refused to let their heads drop and turned the game around after the break. They equalized with a stunning long-range effort from right-back Leonie Vliek. Renate Jansen was a constant threat for Twente, hitting the crossbar and seeing another powerful strike denied by Lemeij in the far corner.
That sequence summed up both sides perfectly — PSV often dominate early but tend to fade after an hour, while FC Twente rely on endurance and resilience to grind out results in big games. Their persistence paid off once again: Rose Ivens put Twente ahead in the 71st minute, and Jill Roord sealed the win with her first goal of the season in the 83rd.
A vital victory for FC Twente in the title race — and a statement performance against one of their fiercest rivals. FC Twente are now leading the table, with two points ahead of Ajax in second.
PEC Zwolle snatch a late win from Excelsior with help from a shoelace
Excelsior Rotterdam 0-1 PEC Zwolle
The Van Dongen & De Roon Stadium set the stage for Excelsior’s home clash — a true bottleneck match that ended in heartbreak for the hosts.
Excelsior fell 1–0 after a dramatic period of added time where everything was decided.
PEC Zwolle and Excelsior were evenly matched for most of the game. PEC showed more attacking intent, but were repeatedly denied by strong goalkeeping from Sophie Frankena and Excelsior’s superbly organized defense. While Excelsior’s attacking play wasn’t as sharp as in their win over Heerenveen, the danger was still there. PEC had clearly learned from that Heerenveen performance, which ended 3–1 in Excelsior’s favor.
As stoppage time ticked away, both sides seemed content to share the points — a result that would have suited two teams battling to stay clear of the relegation zone. But PEC wanted more, while Excelsior appeared to try and manage the result. In a bizarre twist, Excelsior’s Cherif was shown a red card for alleged time-wasting — the referee judged she spent too long tying her shoelaces!
Sensing an opportunity, PEC pushed forward against ten players. From a late corner, captain Judith Roosjen rose highest to head home and secure PEC’s second win of the season.
With this victory, PEC Zwolle climb away from the potential relegation zone. Even though they haven’t faced many top teams yet, six points early in the season is a valuable cushion. Excelsior, meanwhile, will now have to look over their shoulders — with HERA, NAC Breda, and Heerenveen breathing down their necks.
Ajax score twice in under a minute
Ajax 4-1 SC Heerenveen
Ajax defeated Heerenveen 4-1, but that doesn’t tell the full story. In the first half, Ajax did what was necessary, quickly building a 3-0 lead, yet both teams also showed a different side of the game at times.
Once again, a surprising talent from Ajax’s youth academy shone. Lina Touzani scored in the 13th minute from a rebound. After a shot from Danique Tolhoek, the Heerenveen goalkeeper could only punch the ball away. Touzani had only to finish—and she did, deservedly marking her second goal of the season.
In the 23rd minute, Heerenveen fell into even deeper trouble, conceding two goals in one minute. Danique Tolhoek received the ball from a long clearance and immediately fired it into the far corner past the keeper, proving her value as a key striker for Ajax. From the subsequent restart, the ball quickly reached Touzani, who passed it back to Tolhoek while the entire defense struggled to contain her. Tolhoek then found Sherida Spitse, who scored a powerful, low shot that hit the inside of the post—3-0 for Ajax!
Heerenveen showed resilience afterward, keeping Ajax from running up a massive score. After the break, right winger Sterre Kroeze scored an incredible long-range goal, beating keeper Regina van Eijk, who was positioned too far from her goal. It was a moment Heerenveen could take pride in and possibly carry confidence for upcoming matches.
Ajax, however, couldn’t maintain consistent focus to work on goal difference, which remains a concern for coach Anouk de Bruijl. The starting eleven still lacks stability and experience, preventing the tactical plan from fully flourishing. Instead, Ajax relied on individual brilliance from young talents like 17-year-old Ranneke Derks. Coming on as a substitute eager to score, she did so with class, rounding off Ajax’s 4-1 victory over Heerenveen.
ADO Den Haag continue to struggle
ADO Den Haag 0-1 AZ
AZ secured another victory on Sunday afternoon in the Eurojackpot Women’s Eredivisie.
The Alkmaar side defeated ADO Den Haag 0-1, claiming three important points, though Mark de Vries’ team has yet to fully impress. AZ did exactly what was necessary to shake off the uncertainties of recent weeks, but they still didn’t sparkle.
Ahead of the match, veteran goalkeeper Barbara Lorsheyd was celebrated as she started her 350th match for ADO – having been at the club for almost 20 years on/off after being signed by Sarina Wiegman in 2007.
Unfortunately, Lorsheyd could not celebrate with a clean sheet. At the WerkTalent Stadium, AZ was the more dangerous side. Desiree van Lunteren, Fieke Kroese, and Jet van Beijeren created several chances, while ADO Den Haag struggled to play their way out from under the pressure. Midway through the first half, the home team narrowly avoided an own goal when Senna Koeleman almost deflected the ball into her own net.
After the break, the pattern of play remained the same. AZ dominated the midfield and again created opportunities through Van Lunteren, Shanique Dessing, and Kroese. The woodwork came to ADO’s rescue multiple times, but in the 71st minute, captain Van Lunteren finally broke the deadlock with a well-placed header, putting her team ahead 0-1.
That proved to be the decisive goal. AZ managed the final phase of the match without taking unnecessary risks, while ADO Den Haag could no longer mount any serious threat. It was a mature victory for AZ, who secured the win with solid play, though they still have some way to go before truly impressing.
With this win, AZ remains competitive in the mid-table and seems to be gradually regaining composure, although more conviction will be needed to consistently challenge the subtop.
Follow Jan for all the news about Dutch Women’s Football on www.fcleeuwinnen.nl. Read news about the star players, get strong point of views from our columnists and discover upcoming Dutch talents.
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 