Ajax lost the cup final to PSV 2-1. The team from Amsterdam took the lead halfway through the first half, but gave up the game just after the break. In the space of two minutes Ajax had to concede two goals and then failed to score again.
In an extremely atmospheric Kuip, Ajax lagged behind in the opening phase. The hectic pace in the stands was transferred to the players on the field. As a result, it was an intense battle with many hard duels. PSV seemed to thrive best on this by being close to Ajax, because Eran Zahavi shot the ball behind goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. However, that goal was canceled due to offside. André Onana, who has been under the bar in recent weeks, was missing in the cup final due to an ‘injury’.
Halfway through the first half, Ryan Gravenberch broke open the game. The midfielder released himself well and shot the ball from outside the penalty area out of reach of PSV goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo: 1-0.
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The lead gave the team of trainer Erik ten Hag wings. The team from Amsterdam kept the ball in the team easier and were very close to the second goal. Brian Brobbey, who surprisingly started in the striker instead of Sébastien Haller, came from a cross by Dusan Tadic, a shoe size too short to double the score. Just before half time, Noussair Mazraoui seemed to do that with a nice slide in the bottom left corner, but the goal was rejected by the VAR due to offside.
Issues
In the first five minutes after the break, the game completely turned around. Cody Gakpo put a free kick to the head of Ibrahim Sangaré, who extended the ball after which Érick Gutiérrez headed in the equalizer. Two minutes later, Gakpo himself was the final station. With a nice individual action he slalomed past a number of Ajax defenders and outsmarted Stekelenburg with a hard shot into the short corner: 1-2.
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Ajax had a hard time and was trumped on many fronts. It thought for a moment that it would equalize via Davy Klaassen, but Brobbey was in an offside position prior to the goal, so that the third goal of the match was rejected. Shortly afterwards, Ajax was again close to the equalizer via Dusan Tadic. The captain took a cross and shot the ball diagonally against the post in the 58th minute.
Towards the last fifteen minutes, trainer Erik ten Hag made offensive changes, as Haller came in for Mazraoui and Lisandro Martínez left for Perr Schuurs. The central defender saw his effort smothered from a falling ball. However, Ajax’s final offensive did not lead to more danger. Mo Ihattaren, who was in the selection for the first time, came on five minutes before the end, but was unable to force a breakthrough either. Yorbe Vertessen could have closed the game on behalf of PSV, only his bet ended up at the intersection.
Ajax setup: Stekelenburg; Mazraoui (Haller/72), Timber, Martínez (Schuurs/72), Blind; Álvarez, Klaassen (Kudus/85), Gravenberch; Mountain house (Ihattaren/85), Brobbey, Tadic
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