The North Holland squatter between Ajax and AZ ended without a winner. It became 0-0 in Amsterdam. This makes PSV, the number two in the ranking, the smiling third.
The mutual battle for third place was a very entertaining duel in Amsterdam between Ajax and AZ. From the start of the game, both teams went looking for goals. First Brian Brobbey headed into the hands of goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, in the counter-punch Jens Odgaard fired full on goalie Geronimo Rulli. After this it was Tijjani Reijnders, who ruined a huge opportunity face to face with the Argentinian.
The home team then beat the clock in terms of opportunities created. This is how Steven Bergwijn pulled in, he shot full on the post. Moments later, Brobbey had the ball for the header, which also went wide. He had the greatest opportunity just before half-time, but Ryan stopped it. Bergwijn hit the crossbar from close range.
As exciting as the first half was, the second was boring. Mohammed Kudus, who was back in the base at Ajax after four matches, was replaced at halftime by Owen Wijndal (former AZ). It was in minute 75 that a great chance was created. Mayckel Lahdo, who replaced Odgaard before the break, lashed out from the edge of sixteen. His shot rolled over the inside of the post just wide of the goal of the team from Amsterdam.
Bergwijn shot just wide of AZ’s goal in the final phase. Edson Álvarez headed over from a corner in stoppage time, but the score remained unchanged. Due to the draw, the difference between Ajax and AZ remains two points. PSV narrowly beat Sparta Rotterdam earlier in the evening and now has five points more than Ajax.
Setup Ajax: Rulli; Rensch (Sánchez/74), Timber, Alvarez, Hato; Klaassen (Conceicao/74), Taylor, Tadic; Kudus (Wine Valley/46), Brobbey, Mountain Wine
Setup AZ: Ryan; Sugawara, Hatzidiakos, Beukema, Kerkez; Reijnders, Clasie, Mijnans (Mihailovic/77); Odgaard (Lahdo/40), Pavlidis (Meerdink/78), Van Brederode