The biggest applause of the match goes to Ajax goalkeeper Diant Ramaj, in the 71st minute. After a misunderstanding that is now typical for the home team, in which midfielder Branco van den Boomen simply heads the ball over his own defense, FC Volendam striker Robert Mühren is able to run freely towards the goalkeeper. Ramaj diverts his shot, preventing the equalizer and thus another blow for Ajax, which wins the match 2-0.
Rarely has a home match against FC Volendam felt more important for Ajax than this one. The Amsterdam club is having a lost season, interim coach John van ‘t Schip – the fifth coach for Ajax this calendar year – sees fifth place in the competition as the highest achievable. Yet Ajax still has a lot to play for: rehabilitation, development, a signal that the unprecedented sporting decline that has occurred in the past year is short-lived.
The catch-up game against number 17 in the rankings was very important for this. Because it was the first time that Van ‘t Schip was on the sidelines as head coach and the hope is that he can give the team back self-confidence and fun, if only through his experience and the calm he radiates. But especially because Ajax would no longer be last if they won, a position that was as humiliating as it was worrying for the richest club in the Netherlands.
To trust
Ajax started the match aggressively. And, or so it seemed, with confidence. The positional play was fast and varied, when the ball lost the opponent was collectively chased and Ajax came close to Volendam keeper Mio Backhaus with ease. After five minutes that led to a great opportunity for Steven Berghuis, who was able to shoot from about 15 meters after a good attack, but aimed well wide.
The experienced attacker played from the right and was much sought after in the opening phase, but he was a dissonance in the attacking game, with wrong assumptions, weak crosses and harmless shots. On the other hand, at left back, the surprising 20-year-old debutant and former right winger Ar’jany Martha stood out with convincing dribbling, good interventions and courage. Van ‘t Schip saw it all happen quite calmly, standing in front of his dugout, occasionally gesturing for his players to move further apart or to position themselves more compactly.
But as is the case with a team that is only used to adversity, the strong phase did not last long. Last Sunday, Ajax played a convincing first half against PSV before completely collapsing. Against the much weaker FC Volendam you saw the energy and confidence flowing from the team after about 20 minutes. Van ‘t Schip wants to look ahead, he said, to “draw a line” under what has happened in recent months. But he also knows: that’s not how it works in the minds of the players, many of whom probably don’t even know anymore whether they are good enough to ever live up to expectations.
Misunderstandings
And so the game became sloppier. Seemingly simple passes increasingly failed to arrive, due to misunderstandings or simply for no apparent reason. Defender Josip Sutalo, for example, who, without being put under pressure, simply slides the ball into the feet of a Volendam midfielder, thus initiating a dangerous counter. The game also became slower and more predictable. Ajax nevertheless still had a few nice opportunities – Bergwijn curled the ball onto the crossbar from a considerable distance – but Volendam held on more and more easily and occasionally looked dangerous.
After the break, little seemed to change. Until, after a nice combination in midfield, Ajax finally managed to play striker Brian Brobbey to size and in depth. He played to Bergwijn, who rammed the ball into the roof of the goal from close range. The way he celebrated, his clenched fist waving viciously through the air, showed the relief.
The fluid play of the first fifteen minutes did not return. Volendam started to attack more and became more dangerous, with the open chance for Mühren 20 minutes before the end being the most dangerous moment. Ajax also threatened the Volendam goal several times (Brobbey – again – missed big opportunities), only to make it 2-0 just before the end thanks to a header from substitute Chuba Akpom from a corner.
Passionate cheering afterwards, Ajax is no longer last.