Kerkrade, Netherlands (My Sportsbook) - Ajax missed a chance to regain second place and close the gap on league-leaders PSV Eindhoven on Sunday as the club suffered a surprising 2-1 loss to Roda at Parkstad Limburg Stadion.

PSV and second-place Heerenveen played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, leaving Ajax with a chance to pick up points on both clubs. However, Roland Lamah opened the scoring after 22 minutes for Roda, and after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had Ajax level before halftime, Anouar Hadouir scored the game-winner in the 79th minute to help Roda claim all three points.

A nice individual play from Lamah led to the first goal as the midfielder cut inside from the right wing, and after beating a number of defenders, fired into the lower corner from 20 yards.

Huntelaar then score his league-leading 23rd goal of the campaign with seven minutes to play in the opening half, allowing Ajax to pull level. Siem de Jong nodded a cross down for the Dutchman, who beat Roda keeper Bram Castro from the center of the area.

Ajax looked to be the more dangerous team in the second half but a number of missed chances was followed by Hadouir's 79th-minute winner.

Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen attempted to shield the ball on its way out of play, but Roda's Dieter Van Tornhout managed to get to the ball and cross for Hadouir, who headed the ball home.

The loss leaves Ajax in third place, level on points with three other teams, and trailing PSV by nine points.

NEC scored four first-half goals en route to a 5-2 win over AZ Alkmaar, last- place Excelsior is now just one point from moving out of the basement after Leendert van Steensel's 58th-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win over Sparta, while Venlo and Willem II played to a 1-1 draw at De Koel.