The unbeaten status of Ajax is over. The team from Amsterdam was bluffed by AZ and suffered damage for the first time this Eredivisie season. Mohammed Kudus still scored the opening goal, but Mees de Wit and Jens Odgaard put things in order before the break: 2-1.
The starting eleven of Ajax was unchanged compared to the midweek group match against Liverpool. Pantelis Hatzidiakos and Milos Kerkez started at AZ, which was very defensive on paper. It still got the first chance through Jens Odgaard, his bet was saved by Remko Pasveer. Mohamed Kudus broke the spell for Ajax. Daley Blind spooned the ball behind the defense of AZ, after which Kenneth Taylor was able to easily pass on Kudus: 0-1.
The home team became fiercer and trumped Ajax more and more. AZ had a huge opportunity through Sam Beukema, but he just missed from a good cross by Dani de Wit. The faith of the Alkmaarders was rewarded in the fortieth minute. After a misjudgment by Devyne Rensch, the occasional left winger Mees de Wit took the ball and scored: 1-1. In stoppage time, Odgaard even took the lead after a long pass from Hatzidiakos: 2-1. Before that, Bruno Martins Indi had already dropped out with an injury, which means that he will probably have to let the Orange go.
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The Alkmaarders also came out of the dressing room brighter and got a great chance via Tijjani Reijnders. The midfielder was able to shoot freely, but Pasveer tapped his shot on the post. Yukinari Sugawara, who started as a right winger, had two great chances in a row. First he shot straight at Pasveer. In the ensuing attack, he tapped the ball from a cross on the goalie.
Final offensive without result
Kudus had the 2-2 on his shoe and shot at goal from close range. His bet was taken off the line by Dani de Wit. Ajax insisted more in the final phase. For example, a bet by Steven Bergwijn was taken off the line by Reijnders. Substitute Lorenzo Lucca headed, but Hobie Verhulst was able to parry. The visitors seemed to get a penalty, but the VAR did not think it was a foul on Lucca. Despite the eight (!) minutes of injury time, Ajax couldn’t force anything anymore, so it remained 2-1.
Due to the defeat, Ajax has to give up the lead on goal difference to PSV. The Eindhoven team won the top match against Feyenoord earlier in the day. AZ is also creeping closer and has only one point less than the leaders.
AZ setup: concealed; Hatzidiakos, Beukema, Martins Indi (Dekker/45), Kerkez; Reijnders, D. De Wit, Clasie; Sugawara, Odgaard (Lahdo/85), M. De Wit (Bazoer/85).
Ajax setup: feather; Rensch (Brobbey/63), Timber, Bassey, Blind; Álvarez, Taylor (Klaassen/46), Berghuis; Tadic, Kudus (Lucca/81), Mountain wine (Ocampos/81)