Big defeats for Ajax and Feyenoord

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AMSTERDAM, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Sparta Rotterdam scored a 3-0 win over 10-man Ajax Amsterdam and NEC Nijmegen hit four second-half goals to sink Feyenoord 4-1 in the Dutch league on Sunday. Ajax were reduced to 10 men after 12 minutes when Wesley Sneijder was shown a straight red card for verbal abuse. Yuri Rose opened the scoring for Sparta 10 minutes before the interval with a diving header and on the hour Sjaak Polak made it 2-0 from the penalty spot. Haris Medunjanin sealed Sparta's third straight win six minutes before time with a curling free kick. Sparta stay 16th, however. PSV Eindhoven are top with 37 points from 14 matches after their 5-0 win over Utrecht on Saturday. Ajax slipped to third with 31, one behind AZ Alkmaar, who came from behind to beat Heerenveen 3-1. Brazilian Alfonso Alves opened the scoring for Heerenveen after 19 minutes but Shota Arveladze equalised eight minutes later, while Danny Koevermans and Maarten Martens were on target in the final 10 minutes to seal the away win. Brett Holman broke the deadlock at NEC Nijmegen eight minutes into the second half after he rounded his marker and gave Feyenoord goalkeeper Henk Timmer no chance. Chris Eagles, on loan from Manchester United, Dominique Kivuvu and Andrzej Niedzielan struck in the final 10 minutes for NEC. Feyenoord remain fifth with 26 points and NEC climbed to 11th with 15 points. ADO Den Haag, whose coach Frans Adelaar resigned on Monday, hit five goals to upset Groningen with a 5-2 away win to move off the bottom of the table.