Red-hot Heerenveen midfielder Michael Bradley opened and closed the scoring as Heerenveen took a tentative hold on second place with a 3-0 win at De Graafschap on Saturday night.

After 21 minutes of general control, the US international put the visitors up with a trademark late box run finish. Gerald Sibon's cutback from the left was properly disposed of on the fly for Bradley's 10th league goal of the season.

De Graafschap finally began to assert some authority on the game past the half hour, but for all their buzzing, could not mount a scoring raid.

Heerenveen appeared for the second half renewed, and Bradley was among four players in red to go close before Miralem Sulejmani rang the post near the hour.

The Bosnian attacker would not go without for long as he buried a second chance to double the away lead in the 64th minute.

The goal deflated the home side, who were unable to break through the Frisian defense. Bradley then sealed the deal with 10 minutes to play.

A Daniel Pranjic cross was deflected skyward to the middle of the area and the American youngster popped up to net a decisive header, a strike that moved him into a fifth place tie on the Eredivisie goal chart.

Heerenveen return home to face Vitesse next Saturday.

Scoring
HEER - Michael Bradley 10 (Gerald Sibon) 21'
HEER - Miralem Sulejmani 7 (Geert Ared Roorda) 64'
HEER - Michael Bradley 11 80'

Line-ups
DG - Jim van Fessem; Cerezo Fung a Wing, Léon Hese (Donny de Groot 71'), Purrel Fränkel, Resit Schuurman, Stephan Keller, Arnar Vidarsson, Lasse Schøne, Rogier Meijer, Berry Powel, Will Johnson (Joep van den Ouweland 46')

HEER - Rob van Dijk, Gianni Zuiverloon, Henrico Drost, Jakob Poulsen, Michael Dingsdag, Michel Breuer, Geert Arend Roorda (Roy Beerens 78'), Michael Bradley, Danijel Pranjic, Gerald Sibon, Miralem Sulejmani (Paulo Henrique 83')