Dirk Kuyt scored a hat-trick for a second successive weekend to help Feyenoord beat AZ Alkmaar 3-1 at home on Sunday, keeping them alongside Ajax Amsterdam at the top of the Dutch league.

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Ajax lead on goal difference from Feyenoord, for whom the 35-year-old striker has now claimed 10 goals in as many matches this season, putting him top of the league's scoring charts. Kuyt opened the scoring inside the first quarter-hour but the lead lasted only five minutes before AZ's Joris van Overeem equalised.

A second goal came in a melee with Bart Nieuwkoop's goalmouth effort deflecting in off Kuyt in the 59th minute before he completed the hat-trick with a 77th-minute penalty. Last week Kuyt grabbed three away at Heerenveen, precipitating the departure of the home manager.

Two quick goals in the last 20 minutes ensured a positive turn around for Ajax who beat Vitesse Arnhem 3-1 away. Vitesse went ahead through Valeri Qazaishvili after the break but Viktor Fischer equalised off a rebound in the 72nd minute and Riechedly Bazoer made it 2-1 within two minutes.

Ajax, whose leading scorer Anwar El Ghazi fell ill on the eve of the match and did not travel, added a third near the end from Lasse Schone.

"I think it was a deserved win," said Ajax coach Frank de Boer. "We were aggressive, we were compact and were able to put pressure up high. We didn't allow Vitesse to play their old game."

NEC Nijmegen and Groningen drew 1-1 to remain seventh and eighth respectively. SC Cambuur remained winless after the first 10 matches of the season, and second from bottom, after being held 1-1 at home by ADO Den Haag.