Ajax finally achieved another victory in the Eredivisie on Thursday. Under the new coach John van ‘t Schip, FC Volendam was defeated 2-0 with difficulty, but deservedly.
After a goalless first half, captain Steven Bergwijn opened the scoring about ten minutes after halftime. In the final phase, substitute Chuba Akpom made the decision in the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
This ended a series of ten games without a win for Ajax (in all competitions). The Amsterdam team recorded their first competition victory since August 12. At that time they defeated Heracles Almelo 4-1.
Thanks to the victory over Volendam, Ajax is no longer bottom in the Eredivisie. Coach Van ‘t Schip’s team climbs three places and is fifteenth. FC Utrecht is the new number eighteen. Volendam is seventeenth.
Ajax will have a chance to rise further in the rankings next Sunday. The troubled record champion will then play at home against SC Heerenveen.
Ajax misses many opportunities before half time
Van ‘t Schip, who surprisingly made twenty-year-old left back Ar’Jany Martha make his debut, saw Ajax dominate from the start in the ArenA on Thursday. The game mainly took place in FC Volendam’s half.
It created opportunities for Steven Berghuis and Kristian Hlynsson, among others, who both shot just wide. On the other hand, the Amsterdam team occasionally had to pay attention to a counter-punch, although there were no great opportunities for Volendam.
Ajax was close to the opening goal a few times, partly thanks to the excellent contribution of debutant Martha. Bergwijn in particular flirted with a goal: he hit the bar after half an hour. Before halftime, Kenneth Taylor and Brian Brobbey also missed opportunities.
Bergwijn makes Ajax 1-0
In the second half the scores remained unchanged and this time the score was 1-0. Brobbey came close with a header, but Bergwijn scored after about ten minutes.
There was great relief in Amsterdam, but the goal did not really open up the match. The better Ajax suddenly escaped the equalizer about twenty minutes before the end. Volendam striker Robert Mühren broke through and encountered goalkeeper Diant Ramaj.
The Ajax players were clearly not yet brimming with confidence and not much later they got away again with a heading opportunity from Volendammer Damon Mirani. On the other hand, Berghuis scored the 2-0 after a good move.
That 2-0 still came. In the final minutes, substitute Akpom headed home. The striker also seemed to score the third Amsterdam goal in extra time, but after rounding the goalkeeper he hit the post.
The post first appeared on www.nu.nl