Rotterdam, Holland (My Sportsbook) -Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored three times to lead Ajax to a comfortable 3-1 win over Excelsior on Sunday, allowing the Amsterdam club to keep pace with PSV Eindhoven and AZ at the top of the Eredivisie table.

Huntelaar put his side ahead midway through the opening half, and Ajax turned it up in the second half after Excelsior captain Jos van Nieuwstadt was sent off before halftime.

The Dutch striker scored two more times in the second half before Mitchell Pique pulled a goal back for the home side in the game's final minutes.

The opening 20 minutes saw each team create a decent chance, but neither could capitalize. In the 24th minute, Huntelaar hit the net for the first time as he collected a loose ball at the top of the box and drilled a hard, low shot into the bottom corner to put the visitors ahead 1-0.

Things got worse for the hosts in the 36th minute. Van Nieuwstadt fired a shot towards goal that he felt was deflected and should have given his side a corner kick. The official disagreed and gave a goal kick. Van Niewstadt protested and was given a yellow card. He then picked up his second card after he tried to knock the card out of the official's hand, earning him his marching orders.

Ajax made the most of its man advantage in the second half, scoring twice in 30 minutes after the restart.

Tom De Mul's corner just three minutes after the break provided Ajax with a two-goal lead. The corner was swung in by De Mul and Huntelaar got on the other end of it to head it past Theo Zwarthoed in the Excelsior net.

The duo combined again in the 74th minute in much the same fashion as the second goal. De Mul once again drove a corner into the box and Huntelaar once again held off the Excelsior defense to head home his third goal of the contest.

With a comfortable lead, the Ajax back line let their guard down and allowed Pique to pull one back for the hosts, but it was far too little to even matter.

With the win, Ajax remain eight points back of PSV and are still one behind AZ, who scored two first-half goals en route to a 2-0 win over Groningen on Sunday.

In other Dutch play on Sunday, Utrecht scored twice in the opening 20 minutes and held on for a 2-1 victory against Feyenoord, Romano Denneboom made the difference for NEC, as they defeated RKC Waalwijk 1-0 and Twente held its spot in fourth place with a 5-1 thrashing of Heerenveen.