“Julian Brandt gives Ajax the lead with a composed right-footed finish from the centre of the box after Excelsior fail to deal with a set-piece.”
“Lennard Hartjes stuns the home crowd with an equalizer right at the end of the first half, cancelling out Ajax's dominance in stoppage time.”
Pivotal“Moments after Ajax make a double substitution, Aymen Sliti punishes a defensive lapse to fire Excelsior into a shock lead from the right side of the six-yard box.”
Pivotal“Just two minutes after coming on, substitute Tolu Arokodare reacts fastest in the box to level the score at 2-2 with a finish from close range.”
Pivotal
Ajax
Excelsior
Outstanding performance
Ajax•AttackerAjax dominated every metric that matters on paper - 81% possession, 33 shots to 4, nine corners to none - yet found themselves twice pegged back by a resolute Excelsior side punching well above their weight. Julian Brandt's clinical finish gave the hosts a deserved lead, but Lennard Hartjes struck right on the stroke of halftime to level things up against the run of play. The second half turned into chaos in the space of two minutes, as Aymen Sliti poached a six-yard box finish to put Excelsior ahead before Tolu Arokodare, on for barely two minutes, immediately restored parity from close range. For Ajax, sat in a lowly 13th position, this will feel like two points dropped rather than gained, especially given they missed a big chance and created three clear openings without converting more of their 33 attempts. Excelsior, defending desperately with six saves and twelve fouls, will take real encouragement from a point earned through sheer resilience rather than control.
How entertaining was this match?
Attempt missed. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Simon Janssen.
Attempt missed. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Oliver Edvardsen with a cross following a corner.
Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) hits the left post with a header from the left side of the six yard box following a corner.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Lennard Hartjes.
Attempt blocked. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Abdellah Ouazane.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Kasey Bos.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Irakli Yegoian.
Substitution, Excelsior. Mario Domínguez replaces David Garden.
Oscar GloukhYellow CardOscar Gloukh (Ajax) is shown the yellow card.
Irakli YegoianYellow CardIrakli Yegoian (Excelsior) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Irakli Yegoian (Excelsior).
Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Handball by Tolu Arokodare (Ajax).
Foul by David Garden (Excelsior).
Thilo Kehrer (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Anton Gaaei with a cross.
Attempt saved. Abdellah Ouazane (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior). Assisted by Julian Brandt.
Attempt blocked. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Abdellah Ouazane (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
Attempt blocked. Julian Brandt (Ajax) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Ajax. Abdellah Ouazane replaces Davy Klaassen.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Jan Plug.
Substitution, Ajax. Sofyan Amrabat replaces Jorthy Mokio.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Casper Widell.
Foul by Rick Meissen (Excelsior).
Youri Baas (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Foul by Lennard Hartjes (Excelsior).
Jorthy Mokio (Ajax) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Kasey Bos (Excelsior).
Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Excelsior. Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Aymen Sliti.
Offside, Ajax. Oliver Edvardsen is caught offside.
Substitution, Excelsior. Ilano Silva Timas replaces Ágúst Thorsteinsson.
Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Owen Wijndal.
Kasey Bos (Excelsior) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Youri Baas (Ajax).
Attempt blocked. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Oscar Gloukh with a cross.
Attempt saved. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Julian Brandt.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Stijn van Gassel.
Substitution, Excelsior. Kasey Bos replaces Eric da Silva Moreira.
Attempt missed. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Oliver Edvardsen with a cross.
assist: Oscar Gloukh
Goal! Ajax 2, Excelsior 2. Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) right footed shot from very close range.
assist: Irakli Yegoian
Goal! Ajax 1, Excelsior 2. Aymen Sliti (Excelsior) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box.
Substitution, Ajax. Tolu Arokodare replaces Kasper Dolberg.
Substitution, Ajax. Oliver Edvardsen replaces Viktor Tsygankov.
Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kasper Dolberg (Ajax).
Attempt missed. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box.
Attempt missed. Viktor Tsygankov (Ajax) left footed shot from outside the box.
Irakli Yegoian (Excelsior) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Owen Wijndal (Ajax).
Attempt missed. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Attempt saved. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Second Half begins Ajax 1, Excelsior 1.
First Half ends, Ajax 1, Excelsior 1.
Goal! Ajax 1, Excelsior 1. Lennard Hartjes (Excelsior) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Attempt missed. Davy Klaassen (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Attempt missed. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jorthy Mokio.
Attempt missed. Davy Klaassen (Ajax) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Foul by Eric da Silva Moreira (Excelsior).
Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Julian Brandt (Ajax) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Anton Gaaei with a cross.
Foul by Jan Plug (Excelsior).
Davy Klaassen (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jan PlugYellow CardJan Plug (Excelsior) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
assist: Kasper Dolberg
Goal! Ajax 1, Excelsior 0. Julian Brandt (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Foul by Rick Meissen (Excelsior).
Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt blocked. Aymen Sliti (Excelsior) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Casper Widell with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
Jan Plug (Excelsior) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kasper Dolberg (Ajax).
Attempt saved. Thilo Kehrer (Ajax) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior). Assisted by Viktor Tsygankov with a cross.
Attempt missed. Jorthy Mokio (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Eric da Silva Moreira.
Attempt blocked. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Viktor Tsygankov.
Corner, Ajax. Conceded by Casper Widell.
Kasper Dolberg (Ajax) hits the woodwork with a right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Attempt blocked. Kasper Dolberg (Ajax) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Anton Gaaei.
Substitution, Ajax. Owen Wijndal replaces Caio Henrique because of an injury.
Attempt saved. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior). Assisted by Kasper Dolberg.
Attempt missed. Aymen Sliti (Excelsior) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right.
Offside, Ajax. Oscar Gloukh is caught offside.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Caio Henrique (Ajax).
Offside, Ajax. Kasper Dolberg is caught offside.
Foul by Casper Widell (Excelsior).
Kasper Dolberg (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury David Garden (Excelsior).
Delay in match because of an injury Caio Henrique (Ajax).
Lennard Hartjes (Excelsior) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Viktor Tsygankov (Ajax).
Foul by Simon Janssen (Excelsior).
Viktor Tsygankov (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jan Plug (Excelsior).
Viktor Tsygankov (Ajax) wins a free kick on the right wing.
First Half begins.
Ajax head into this Eredivisie clash on the back of back-to-back 5-1 wins, looking to keep pace with the pack at the top of the table. Excelsior arrive off a stoppage-time defeat to Utrecht, hoping to disrupt the hosts' scoring momentum in Amsterdam.
