Vitesse beats Heerenveen, 4-2, in Matt Miazga's 20th Eredivisie appearance

A Ricky van Wolfswinkel hat-trick steered Vitesse past Heerenveen on April 8 The 4-2 win extended the club's Eredivisie winning streak to three games and strengthened its hold on fifth place in the table as the season edges toward its close. Navarone Foor opened the score for the home team in 5th minute, and van Wolfswinkel did the rest - scoring in the 14th, 70th, and 75th minutes. Heerenveen struck back in the 31st to briefly threaten a comeback, but van Wolfswinkel's brace secured the win, making the visitors' 89th minute goal mere consolation.

Wedstrijdverslag #Vitesse vs sc Heerenveen 4-2 #vithee https://t.co/fkMej6OsEO pic.twitter.com/RE9QMVgTyD

— Vitesse (@MijnVitesse) April 8, 2017

A cheerful De Gelderlander praised about half the team that played Heerenveen, including the squad's American exile from Chelsea, on-loan Matt Miazga.

Miazga has now registered 20 Eredivisie appearances with Vitesse, including 12 starts. He is still technically filling in for injured Maikel van der Werff, but the 21-year-old former New York Red Bulls center back is currently on a run of nine straight starts, including the team's 2-1 KNVB Cup semifinal win over Sparta Rotterdam.

The Dutch Cup final is on April 30. Vitesse has two league games to play before facing AZ in Feyenoord's stadum, De Kuip. For the Vitesse players, those matches will surely be as much about competition for places in the starting lineup in the Cup final as they are about consolidating league position. Presently, Miazga looks to be in good position to make the team that will seek to deliver Vitesse the first major trophy in its history.

The team next plays on April 15, on the road against Excelsior.