Ajax had a very difficult time against RKC Waalwijk, but still took full advantage. After falling behind due to a hit by Mats Seuntjens, things turned out well. Brian Brobbey, Jurrien Timber and Mohammed Kudus secured the win.
There was one change in Ajax’s starting eleven compared to the cup match against FC Twente. Attacker Steven Bergwijn was completely missing from the selection, because he was not match fit. Francisco Conceicao was his replacement. Without Bergwijn, the team from Amsterdam had a hard time against RKC Waalwijk. The people of Brabant had the best chance in the opening phase; Julen Lobete put the ball over Geronimo Rulli. Edson Álvarez was able to clear the ball just before the line.
Moments later, Rulli had no chance. Lobete passed the ball to Mats Seuntjens and he hit hard: 0-1. The rest of the first half was characterized by time wasting from RKC. Partly because of this, Ajax did not get any great opportunities before the break.
Text continues below the tweet
Brian Brobbey and Calvin Bassey again did not start in the starting line-up, but were replaced after the break. Brobbey immediately paid off that substitution by making it 1-1. Dusan Tadic passed Steven Berghuis. His bet went straight to goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, Brobbey then tapped in. Mohammed Kudus then shot full on the post. RKC got away well.
That also applied to Ajax a little later. Goal scorer Seuntjens skilfully put the ball over Rulli, but it was offside. In the final phase it still turned out well for the team from Amsterdam. Jurriën Timber worked a free kick from Berghuis behind Vaessen and Kudus then brought Ajax completely to a safe haven: 3-1. The victory was no longer in danger after this.
Thanks to the victory, Ajax is back in third place in the Eredivisie. Union Berlin is the opponent on Thursday and Sparta is on the menu next Sunday.
Setup Ajax: Rulli; Rensch (Sánchez/85), Timber, Álvarez, Wijndal (Hato/88); Taylor, Berghuis, Klaassen (Bassey/46); Kudus (Rasmussen/94), Tadic, Conceicao (Brobbey/46)