The best has been lost at Ajax for a while now. The team did not recover in Nijmegen either. In the first home game of the season, Ajax was still far too strong for NEC with 5-0.
The difference had already been made in the first 45 minutes at the time. Now the number of scoring opportunities was significantly lower. But Ajax continues to win in the Eredivisie.
In the Goffert Stadium, the Amsterdammers made it difficult for themselves once again. Captain Dusan Tadic missed a penalty before half time, after Jurriën Timber was slightly touched by Jordy Bruijn in the penalty area. Goalkeeper Mattijs Branderhorst chose the right angle, Tadic's effort was powerless.
Bark
Ajax barked, but did not bite. The left-wing marched quite well, with Kenneth Taylor as the best player. The 20-year-old midfielder always skilfully turned out of the crowds and then ensured a quick continuation. Taylor plays as you would expect from a liaison player at Ajax: light-footed, easy to combine and always thinking ahead.
The choice for Taylor was striking, although his form has been growing since January. Trainer Erik ten Hag passed Edson Ãlvarez, Mexican international, while he was already forced to make changes in two other positions. Lisandro MartÃnez and Noussair Mazraoui were absent against NEC due to injury. Perr Schuurs and Nicolás Tagliafico started in the starting line-up.
For Schuurs, the game was over after one half. The Limburger was also injured. Liam van Gelderen, right back of Jong Ajax, came on for him.
Ajax muddled, but was the better team in the Goffert Stadium. Entirely in line with the game of the last few months, however, the opponent also got the necessary scoring opportunities. In the twelfth minute it was almost hit for NEC, after striker Sébastien Haller lost the ball. Souffian El Karouani's shot sailed to the far corner, but Maarten Stekelenburg had a good eye for the ball and made a nice save. After the break, Elayis Tavsan was allowed to steam up over the axis of the field, to the relief of Stekelenburg, the young attacker shot into the side net.
Brian Brobbey
Even the weakest Ajax player played only 45 minutes in Nijmegen. Steven Berghuis was unable to make a fist on the right flank. He regularly let himself 'sag' to midfield, but was too careless with the ball there. Ten Hag wanted to see depth on the wing and he made a surprising substitution: striker Brian Brobbey as right winger.
Brobbey was close to the opening goal after just over an hour. He headed a Tagliafico cross against the post. Shortly before that, Ajax had gotten away well after a handball by Davy Klaassen in his own penalty area. Arbiter Manschot saw no penalty in it.
We had to wait for a final offensive by Ajax. There was certainly still a great opportunity. Taylor found Tadic free on the left, but the Serb - often so important for the team - did not get the ball at Brobbey, who was completely free in front of the goal.
It was pretty much the last feat of the battle-weary Taylor. Mohammed Kudus was his replacement. Just when a draw seemed the highest achievable, the Ghanaian substitute was worth gold to Ajax. He cleared Brobbey in the penalty area. The striker turned away from his opponent and shot flawlessly: 0-1. Kudus himself had the 0-2 on his shoe, but he shot over the left with the left.
It had also been too much for Ajax, which, after the elimination in the Champions League and the lost cup final, is on its gums, but still made the most of it in the battle for the title.
Source: www.parool.nl