The team from Amsterdam thus escaped nasty damage in Brabant, because with a draw, pursuer PSV could have reduced the gap with the leader to three points on Sunday.
Ajax was unable to impress in the first 45 minutes in Tilburg. Willem II played disciplined and with a knife between his teeth, while Fred Grim’s formation lurked on the counter. It became dangerous a number of times, especially via Ché Nunnely. The right winger showed Daley Blind his heels regularly, but also failed to take advantage of that advantage.
Once Nunnely gave up just fine to Jizz Hornkamp, but the striker who came in the winter break half passed the ball. On the other side, the dangerous moments came via Antony, but where the Brazilian shot just wide once, the right winger failed to play a promising four-on-three just before and went for his own success. Jurriën Timber was closest just before tea, but the central defender saw his icicle being whipped from under the bar by Timon Wellenreuther.
After the break Ajax insisted, but for a long time it didn’t seem to be the night of the team from Amsterdam. Davy Klaassen was unable to fumble the ball in from close range and a joint effort by Sébastien Haller and substitute Danilo landed on the post. The rebound could not be worked in by Noussair Mazraoui, because Wessel Dammers was in the way. Just before that, a goal by Dusan Tadic had already been disallowed, because Antony had been offside at the start of the attack. Twenty seconds before that, Willem II was close to the opening goal, when a bang from Max Svensson flew just past.
Injury
In the end it was Timber who gave Ajax the redeeming goal ten minutes before the end. The defender appeared at the far post to work in a cross from Antony at the far post. Timber had to leave the field after that action, injured, but saw his teammates win the game from the dug-out.
View the results, position and program in the Eredivisie here