It didn’t go well, but Ajax once again knows what winning in the Premier League is. That was four games ago, on January 27 against Heracles Almelo. The team from Amsterdam were too strong for FC Utrecht in a lackluster match with 2-0. Brian Brobbey and Kenneth Taylor scored, and Devyne Rensch received a red card in the final phase.
In the run-up, it was mainly about that edition earlier this season in Utrecht. After an insane match, FC Utrecht won 4-3 and Maurice Steijn was fired a day later. Utrecht’s victory started a series of fifteen unbeaten matches in a row for the Domstedelingen. Ajax had been warned, but the opening phase was of a deplorable level.
The field game was more like a chess game than football. The Amsterdam team created chances through Kenneth Taylor, Tristan Gooijer and Brian Brobbey (the only Ajax player included in the Orange pre-selection). Just before half time, Brobbey opened the score. After a pass from Ahmetcan Kaplan, Borna Sosa extended the ball and Brobbey shot through under Mattijs Branderhorst: 1-0.
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The start of the second half was just as questionable as the first. Jordan Henderson, wearing the captain’s armband, tried from distance. His bet ended in the hands of Branderhorst. Brobbey should have scored the 2-0 a few minutes later, but shot into the side net. Ajax’s second goal came in the final phase. Brobbey was not a finisher, but a declarant. Kenneth Taylor completed his splitting pass.
Despite the lead, the team from Amsterdam still had to suffer after a red card for Devyne Rensch. He committed a serious foul on Sam Lammers and was initially booked. That card was reversed by the VAR. Due to that lengthy consultation between the referee and Zeist, nine (!) minutes of injury time were added, but the score did not change.
With the victory, the Amsterdam team takes over fifth place in the Premier League from Go Ahead Eagles. Ajax now has 39 points and AZ has 4 more. The first meeting with Aston Villa is scheduled for midweek, with Fortuna Sittard’s opponent on Sunday.
Ajax line-up: Ramaj; Gooijer, Rensch, Kaplan, Hato, Sosa; Mannsverk (Van den Boomen/78), Henderson, Taylor, Hlynsson (Medic/83); Brobbey