Ajax also defeated Sparta in the Premier League (2-1). The Amsterdam team has not lost since the arrival of John van ‘t Schip. Brian Brobbey and Steven Bergwijn scored for the home team, Camiel Neghli for Sparta. With the victory, Ajax rises to fifth place in the rankings.
Sparta was brutally given the first opportunity. Tobias Lauritsen headed the ball towards the Ajax goal with a floating dive. Diant Ramaj saves feline. Yet Ajax took the lead against the Spartans. Kristian Hlynsson passed to Kenneth Taylor and he found Brian Brobbey with a backheel. The striker, who has been in good form in recent weeks, scored from the turn: 1-0. After the opening goal, Ajax remained the most dangerous team. For example, Brobbey’s attempt was blocked by a defender, Jorrel Hato shot straight at Nick Olij and Steven Bergwijn’s header went narrowly wide.
Ajax could not maintain the good play in the opening phase and Sparta increasingly came out of its shell. Tijs Velthuis had two opportunities from corners, but both times it ended well for Ajax. After this short-lived storm, the Amsterdam team took over the initiative again and created opportunities through Berghuis (shot at Olij), Bergwijn (across the goal) and Hlynsson (wide). Brobbey scored a penalty just before half time, which was eagerly used by Bergwijn: 2-0.
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There seemed to be no problem for Ajax at the start of the second half, but the team came out of the dressing room like a wet newspaper. Sparta was given plenty of space to play football freely and that ultimately resulted in the tying goal. Camiel Neghli was not tackled and was able to score easily: 2-1. Ajax did not get further than pinpricks from Devyne Rensch and Kenneth Taylor for a long time. To try to break that negative situation, trainer John van ‘t Schip intervened. Young Jaydon Banel and Chuba Akpom came on at the expense of Brobbey and Hlynsson.
That double substitution did not have the desired result for a long time, until a missed opportunity by Akpom gave Ajax a new boost. That ultimately did not lead to more goals from the Amsterdam team. Due to the narrow victory (2-1), Ajax rises to fifth place in the rankings and the upward trend in results continues.
Competitor Go Ahead Eagles will play against FC Utrecht tomorrow in the Adelaarshorst. Ajax will first play against AEK in the Europa League in midweek, followed by the home match against PEC Zwolle.
Ajax line-up: Ramaj; Rensch, Sutalo, Hato, Martha (Sosa/78); Tahirovic, Taylor, Hlynsson (Banel/65); Berghuis, Brobbey (Akpom/65), Bergwijn (Forbs/78)