Ajax drew the away match against Almere City FC 2-2. The Amsterdam team fell behind in the second half. Ajax then took the lead, but the score was level due to a penalty in injury time by Almere City striker Thomas Robinet.
Trainer John van ‘t Schip chose Georges Mikautadze and Borna Sosa in the starting line-up. That was at the expense of Silvano Vos and Anton Gaaei.
In the tame initial phase, little happened. After about twenty minutes, Brian Brobbey won a sprint duel and delivered the ball to Steven Berghuis. However, his shot was straight into the hands of Almere City keeper Nordin Bakker. In the first half, Almere City FC was perhaps more than equal to Ajax.
Long shots
The Amsterdammers created little. In the 39th minute, Berghuis was close to the opening goal, but his shot went just the wrong side of the post. Kristian Hlynsson briefly became dangerous with a long shot straight at Bakker’s fists.
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Trainer John van ‘t Schip was not satisfied with the first half and three players were brought in at the start of the first half. Gaaei, Tahirović and Forbs came on for Sosa, Mikautadze and Berghuis.
Assist from Brobbey
After the break, the team from Amsterdam pushed on a bit more and that resulted in a few chances. Yet it was the home team that took the lead. Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp scored the opening goal from the transition. One minute later, Chuba Akpom scored the 1-1 after Brobbey nicely laid the ball out for the Ajax attacker.
Tahirovic from match winner to schlemiel
Ajax should have taken the lead, but from close range Brobbey and Akpom shot at the Almere City FC keeper. In the final phase Ajax took the lead. It was Brobbey again who provided the assist. This time Benjamin Tahirovic was the finisher.
The same Tahirovic caused a penalty in injury time, which Almere City striker Thomas Robinet managed to use. And so Ajax drew 2-2 against Almere City.
Ajax line-up: Ramaj; Rensch, Šutalo, Hato, Sosa (Gaeei/46); Taylor, Hlynsson, Mikautadze (Tahirovic/46); Berghuis (Forbs/46), Brobbey, Bergwijn (Akpom/68)