There are plenty of Ajax Under-18 practice matches that go by unnoticed, but that certainly does not apply to the match that the talents played this afternoon at De Toekomst sports park. The peers of Liverpool, not the least club in Europe, were completely outplayed. The match ended in a whopping 10-0 score.
It soon became clear that the Ajax talents were looking forward to it. Already in the first minute, striker Don-Angelo Konadu made it 1-0, after a big mistake by the Liverpool keeper.
The goals just kept coming in the first half. Konadu made three more. Skye Vink, the son of former Ajax player Marciano Vink, also made one, as did Jan Faberski, Don O’Niel and Lucas Jetten. This made it 8-0 at halftime. After the break, Ajax took it a little easier, but double figures were achieved. Goals from Rayane Bounida and Kayden Wolff made it 10-0.
More exciting last time
The huge victory is notable for several reasons. A month ago, the difference during a practice match between the two teams in Liverpool was not that big at all. Ajax then won 3-4. Moreover, the Liverpool talents are in good shape: on Saturday they won 7-1 against Arsenal and they are second in the league.
Earlier in the afternoon there was other news from De Toekomst. The first team of Ajax trained there in the run-up to the match against Heracles Almelo on Saturday, with Jordan Henderson. This means that the work permit of the English top purchase has been received. It will become clear later this week whether Henderson will actually play on Saturday.
Someone who will not be seen in an Ajax shirt for the time being at least is Gaston Avila. The Argentinian defender injured his knee during training last week. Research now shows that Avila has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He is expected to be out for nine months to a year with the serious injury.
A lot on the couch
Avila was one of the many purchases by then technical director Sven Mislintat this summer. Ajax paid more than twelve million euros to Antwerp FC to acquire the Argentinian, but in the eight games he has played for Ajax so far, he has not yet been convincing. After quite a few playing minutes during his first weeks at Ajax, he spent a lot of time on the bench afterwards.
Another Mislintat purchase, Carlos Forbs, may also have played his last match for Ajax for the time being. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that discussions between Nottingham Forest and Ajax to take over Forbs on a loan basis are at an advanced stage.
Romano has just reported that another Ajax player may also be loaned out. Anass Salah-Eddine is said to be of interest to Scottish Rangers and Italian Torino.
So a lot of Ajax news, but there is more to come: tonight the Ajax Women will play an important Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain in France. After four games, Ajax is surprisingly first in a tough group with Bayern Munich and AS Roma. Ajax won against Bayern Munich and Paris-Saint Germain in the Johan Cruijff Arena. Another victory against the French tonight would be good for a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.