For the neutral viewer, the match between Ajax and Olympique Marseille was a real pleasure to watch. Six goals were scored in the Johan Cruijff Arena, but in the end the match had no winner: 3-3. Because Ajax failed to close the match, the French were able to come alongside ten minutes before the end.
The pressure was clearly noticeable on everything and everyone at Ajax. Trainer Maurice Steijn looked nervous before the start of the match and that also rubbed off on his team. The pace was high and the match went back and forth. Ajax had the better of the game and took the lead through a stroke of luck. A Marseille defender completely misjudged a long ball from goalkeeper Jay Gorter, after which Carlos Forbs went alone to the goalkeeper and coolly finished: 1-0. The Arena exploded and moments later the crowd even saw Steven Berghuis make it 2-0. He scored from a low corner kick.
Up and down
The exasperated Ajax had some breathing space for the first time this season and shook off their trepidation. But Marseille, where coach Marcelino resigned yesterday after threats from his own supporters, showed itself to be resilient. Immediately after Berghuis’ goal, the French took something back. Jonathan Clauss shot in hard after a great move on the right side: 2-1.
An open competition unfolded in Amsterdam that went from left to right and from front to back. An interesting match with many opportunities for the neutral viewer, but probably a very nervous one for the Ajax fan. Especially after Iliman Ndiaye hit the crossbar on behalf of Marseille. The visitors were the superior team towards half time and after weak defending from Ajax they also came to the same level. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pushed the ball into the corner to make it 2-2.
New lead
After the break, Ajax was strong again and played football at a high pace. Kenneth Taylor was accurate this time. The midfielder shot Ajax into the lead after putting back Forbs, who played a good game. Ajax then pressed on and had the perfect opportunity to close the match. Brobbey had run off on the right side, awarded the ball to Bergwijn, but his effort was not good towards the corner, leaving the score 3-2. Ten minutes before the end, Marseille struck again through Aubameyang, who made it 3-3.
In an exciting final phase, Taylor had the winning goal on his shoe, but the bet went just over the goal. Ajax ended the match with ten men after Silvano Vos received his second yellow card of the match, but that made no difference to the result.
Next weekend Ajax will play De Klassieker against Feyenoord at home. The team from Amsterdam are in twelfth place in the Premier League and have only five points from the first four games.
Ajax line-up: Gorter; Gaaei, Sutalo, Hato, Sosa; Tahirovic (Vos/46), Taylor, Berghuis (Van den Boomen/84); Forbs (Avila/90+2), Brobbey (Akpom/84), Bergwijn (Medic/90+2)