Ajax beat FC Groningen 5-2 at the Euroborg on Sunday, 18 October, ending a month without a victory. The result came after a 2-1 defeat at Hajduk Split in the Conference League on Thursday, 15 October, which had drawn harsh criticism in the Dutch media. After nine matches Ajax has 18 points, five behind leader Feyenoord and one point short of third-placed PSV. FC Groningen, with 14 points from nine games, dropped to seventh place. Before the trip, Ajax had drawn 1-1 with NEC and 2-2 with Excelsior, and Sánchez had faced weeks of criticism.
Data from the article text
Sánchez made six changes to the side that lost in Split. Jofre Torrents, the left-back taken over from FC Barcelona, was left out after two costly errors against Hajduk Split. Owen Wijndal, Lucas Rosa, Oscar Gloukh, Jorthy Mokio, Dies Janse and Marcos Leonardo started, with Leonardo replacing the tired Tolu Arokodare up front. The players are no longer surprised by the rotation, and Wijndal said:
“We try to guess the line-up beforehand, but we usually miss it.”
Ajax was well organised for large parts of the match, and the rebuilt side met the brief in most of the game.
Ten minutes in, Marcos Leonardo was fouled by goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, and referee Dennis Higler pointed to the spot. Davy Klaassen stepped up but Vaessen saved his penalty. A VAR check on a Groningen penalty claim later ended with no spot kick. Julian Brandt put Ajax ahead in the 27th minute after Jorg Schreuders gave the ball away to Owen Wijndal. Aaron Bouwman scored from a rebound after a Klaassen shot about ten minutes later. Brynjólfur Willumsson pulled one back shortly after the restart, but Brandt restored the two-goal lead in the 60th minute with a finish set up by Wijndal. Jorthy Mokio then scored twice in the second half, first from a rebound after a corner and then with a finish set up by Klaassen.
After the match Brandt said:
“Football is about moments, you have to strike at the right moments. That is what we did today.”
Brandt was again the standout player on the pitch, and the side met the demand Sánchez had set for more energy and passion.
Groningen coach Dick Lukkien had said before kick-off that his team would play with courage to create space. Thom van Bergen scored in the closing stages to make it 5-2. He then missed a penalty that Marc ter Stegen saved, which would have been Groningen's third goal. Had it gone in, Van Bergen would have had seven goals and been the sole leader of the Eredivisie scoring list, while he currently has six. Groningen remain seventh with 14 points.
Ajax's next Conference League match is against Atalanta, and Sparta comes after that. Ajax now sits one point behind PSV in the table. Sánchez had asked for more energy and passion before the match, and the rebuilt side delivered that for large parts of the game.
Pollar is free and carries no ads in the text. Its members keep it going.
Support PollarFootball · Groningen
Ajax ended a month without a win with a 5-2 victory at FC Groningen on Sunday, 18 October. Julian Brandt and Jorthy Mokio each scored twice, easing pressure on coach Míchel Sánchez after a 2-1 defeat at Hajduk Split.
AI text based on reports by de Volkskrant, NOS and Telegraaf. Published .