体坛英语新闻：FC Twente lose ground in Dutch title race

THE HAGUE, March 3(Xinhua) -- The departure of coach Steve McClaren earlier this week did not lead to better results for FC Twente, with the team losing ground on PSV, Ajax, Feyenoord and Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie this weekend.

McClaren quit last Tuesday and his assistant Alfred Schreuder was temporarily appointed as his replacement, starting against Ajax in Enschede on Saturday.

Twente suffered an early deficit when Ajax defender Niklas Moisander found the net in the 4th minute with a long-distance strike. Ten minutes from half-time Toby Alderweireld doubled the score with a header: 0-2. Twente was not able to bounce back and remained without a win in 2013.

"We are in a difficult phase," said debuting Twente coach Alfred Schreuder. "There is far too little confidence in the team. We knew that Ajax was good, did not expect the strength difference so big like in the first half."

League leaders PSV Eindhoven also had a good start at home against VVV-Venlo on Saturday, with Memphis Depay scoring the opening goal in the 3rd minute. PSV struggled after the first goal and only secured the victory in the final minute. Captain Mark van Bommel converted a free kick: 2-0.

On Sunday Feyenoord beat NEC 3-0 in Nijmegen. Jean-Paul Boetius and Graziano Pelle scored for the Rotterdam based team. Vitesse defeated FC Utrecht 2-0 on Friday, with Mike Havenaar and Eredivisie Wilfried Bony producing the goals. The latter brought his goal tally this season to 23.

PSV lead the Eredivisie with 53 points from 25 matches, with Ajax trailing by two points, Feyenoord by three and Vitesse by five points. FC Twente seem out of title contention, nine points behind the leaders.