The season has started with a true spectacle for Ajax. Although the battle for the Johan Cruijff Scale was lost, the match against PSV was exciting until injury time. The people of Eindhoven therefore took the first prize of the season: 3-5.
With that Ajax lost a final to PSV for the second time in a row, after already losing the cup final last season. Jay Gorter and Kenneth Taylor were preferred over Remko Pasveer and Davy Klaassen in Alfred Schreuder’s starting eleven. After a poor start, Ajax took the match and got the first chance through Antony.
The Brazilian was played by Steven Bergwijn, but curled the ball just wide of the post. It was of all people Bergwijn, the former PSV player who then gave the team from Amsterdam the lead. He dribbled in, shot the ball hard behind Walter Benítez: 1-0.
Check out Bergwijn’s goal below. Text continues below the tweet.
Ajax kept pushing and got opportunities through Bergwijn and Taylor. Almost out of nowhere, the people of Eindhoven reached the same level. Cody Gakpo delivered a gossamer assist to Guus Til, where Gorter didn’t look good: 1-1. PSV seemed reborn and crawled out of its shell more. For example, Gakpo (hard shot) and Til (header) caused a headache for Ajax. Just before half time, Taylor’s danger came twice. It made no difference as Gakpo was able to make his second of the night in almost identical fashion.
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The second half started with a lot of consternation. Initially, Owen Wijndal was booked, but referee Dennis Higler was called back by the VAR. He saw a red card in the foul of the back, but Higler saw a handball before that. As a result, the party was canceled at all. A few minutes later, the Johan Cruijff ArenA exploded, as Antony equalized on a pass from Wijndal: 2-2.
The team from Amsterdam seemed to push through after the Brazilian’s goal, but nothing turned out to be less true. A long shot by Armando Obispo was badly judged by Gorter, who made another mistake. Gakpo was able to strike in the rebound: 2-3. A few minutes later, the party was complete for PSV, after Til made his third. The team from Eindhoven seemed to end the game, but substitute Mohammed Kudus scored the 3-4 from a brilliant shot.
After a red card for substitute Calvin Bassey, the game was over. Volendammer Joey Veerman hit the bar, after which Xavi Simons made the decision in injury time. Thus begins the Schreuder era without price. The Eredivisie season for the team from Amsterdam starts next Saturday against Fortuna Sittard.
Ajax setup: Gorter; Rensch, Timber (Klaassen/72), Blind, Wijndal (Bassey/62); Álvarez, Taylor (Schuurs/85), Berghuis (Kudus/63); Antony (Brobbey/72), Tadic, Bergwijn.