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AZ cannot yet call on Kees Smit for their Eredivisie match against Ajax on Saturday. The 20-year-old midfielder has not recovered from an injury he sustained with the Netherlands under-21 team more than three weeks earlier. He is expected to return for the Europa League match against Juventus on Thursday.
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Ajax drew 1-1 with NEC at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Tolu Arokodare gave Ajax an early lead, but Tjaronn Chery equalised from the penalty spot after Jorthy Mokio was judged to have fouled Noé Lebreton. Simon Adingra made his Ajax debut as a substitute, while Aaron Bouwman and Abdellah Ouazane also came on. The result left Ajax fifth after eight Eredivisie matches, with 15 points and five points behind leaders Feyenoord. It was Ajax’s fourth league match without a home win this season.
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Feyenoord beat AZ 2-0 at De Kuip to move above the Alkmaar side into first place in the Eredivisie, with a one-point lead over AZ and PSV. Nacho Ferri opened the scoring in the 13th minute after a mistake by Wouter Goes, and Javi López scored from a corner in the 59th minute. AZ suffered its first league defeat of the season. AZ were awarded a penalty shortly before half-time after Mexx Meerdink went down following an incident with goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, but referee Danny Makkelie overturned the decision after a VAR review. Meerdink disputed the reversal, while AZ coach Leeroy Echteld declined to dwell on it after the match. Feyenoord coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst said the win over a direct rival mattered more than taking first place.