06 APR 2025; Ajax - NAC; Match Day 28

[Orange14]

Seven matches to go and Ajax just need to keep focused. One game at a time as Faroli preaches and things will take care of themselves. Nine points ahead of PSV and elation among all the Ajax supporters!!!

[SPL]

Weghorst back in training so hope he can get 30 mins on Sunday Brobbey suspended. Reeger and Pasveer both started training again but may be a week or 2 before they are fit to play.

[Orange14]

I have not seen any report about Baas and the extent of his injury. I assume that Rugani will start or possibly Hato sliding over and Wijndal at LB. We'll see what Farioli decides.

[Tom_]

Feyenoord won which is good for us if they are chasing PSV.

Baas is out, I would expect Hato to stay at LB, he has been excellent there since the winter break. Brobbey suspended too of course.

[SPL]

No Baas or Brobbey so Kaplan and Konadu start. Henderson on the bench . Lets just get 3 points.

[Tom_]

This lineup isn’t working. Berghuis might not last until half time.

[SPL]

Got lucky with the penalty as we are playing dreadfully poorly

[SPL]

Berghuis 2-1 now we are awake. Konadu involved with both goals.

[Tom_]

Marginal improvement after the penalty but I really do not like this midfield. Need someone who can pass!

[SPL]

30 mins of non football but then the penalty woke us up. Konadu ,who usually plays on the wing for Jong Ajax as Rjkhoff is the striker has been involved in both goals .We need to up our game from the start of the 2nd half and get that 3rd goal.

[SPL]

Some real football there and Mokio hopefully settles the game

[Tom_]

Nice goal by Mokio and that should do it.

Note the difference between Edvardsen moving the ball on straight away and Godts who constantly dribbles into defenders in that situation!

[SPL]

Comfortable in the end once we got the 3rd but we never played out of 2nd gear all game. Just 10 points max needed for the title .Mokio did well coming on and a well taken goal. Apart from their wonder goal our defence was sound and did not let them have many chances.

[Orange14]

Falling behind on a wonderful goal from the NAC attacker, Ajax kept a level head, evening the game on a PK from Taylor after Konadu was pulled down by the GK. Konadu had a lovely assist to Berghuis who got the match winner. Mokio made sure of things in the 2nd half with a nice run into the box and Taylor provided the pass that allowed him to slot it home. The defense was solid and the conceded goal was a bit of a fluke as Rosa had a take away but the ball bounced to a NAC player who was able to start the counter. Other than that Mattheus had little to do. The lead is still nine points as PSV edged pass Groningen yesterday.

Player Ratings:

Mattheus (6.5) - relatively easy match for the Ajax keeper
Rosa (6.5) - decent enough defending and he had a couple of good runs into the offensive half
Sutalo (7)- solid again
Kaplan (7) - defended well and was quite good with the ball at his feet
Hato (7.5) - very good defensively and it would have been nice had he scored when he was set up in the box but it was a tired shot right at the keeper
Klaassen (6.5) - captained the team as Henderson got the day off, had a couple of bad passes but otherwise decent
Taylor (7.5) - had some very good runs with the ball and made sure of the penalty
Berghuis (7) - started in the MF and had a good all-around game
Traore (6.5) - had a good game on the wing but didn't have any opportunity to shoot
Kanadu (6.5) - figured in the first two goals but has a way to go particularly with the ball at his feet, maybe should have scored early when he was played in on goal
Godts (6) - just above ordinary as he was double teamed all match long
Weghorst (6) - good to see him back on the pitch
Mokio (6.5) - had a great run into the box on his goal and had good field awareness when he had the ball at his feet
Edvardssen (5.5) - on late and had one good run from the left side with a shot that just went wide, don't know if he saw Weghorst who was open
Rassmussen (NR) - back from injury with a cameo appearance late
Fitz-Jim (NR) - on late

Both Ajax and PSV have matches against bottom of the table teams. Ajax are away to Willem II and PSV are home to Almere city.

[Amol]

This lineup isn’t working. Berghuis might not last until half time.

That mid field was too soft and without any imagination. I didn’t understand why we didn’t start with Mokio at DM.

[Tom_]

I’m fairly sure Farioli was planning to sub Berghuis right before he scored. He was just unbelievably bad in the first half.

I do get frustrated watching them struggle to move the ball against weak teams. Not really any one player’s fault, but very few in the team can pass the ball!