Ajax's first defeat of the season, a 3-1 home reverse on Sunday at the hands of NAC Breda, meant they were unable to overtake champions PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie.
PSV's 1-0 victory over De Graafschap on Saturday had put them top of the league at the expense of the Amsterdam club and Ajax failed to pick up the gauntlet 24 hours later.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's stoppage-time consolation goal was all that Ajax fans had to cheer after second-half goals for NAC from Matthew Amoah and substitute Ahmed Ammi sealed the win for the visitors who had led through a first-half own goal from Jan Vertonghen.
PSV are now two points clear of Ajax and Feyenoord who bounced back from last week's 3-2 defeat at FC Groningen with a 6-0 demolition of Heracles Almelo.
Roy Makaay started the rout with a goal in the first minute and a second approaching the half-hour mark. Kevin Hofland made it 3-0 before second-half goals from Andwele Slory, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Georgino Wijnaldum further embarrassed Heracles.
Jacob Poulsen's first-half goal lifted Heerenveen to fourth with a 1-0 win at NEC Nijmegen.
AZ Alkmaar's indifferent season continued with a 2-1 defeat at FC Twente for whom Blaise N'Kufo scored both goals with substitute Graziano Pelle firing a late consolation for Louis van Gaal's men.
