Edson Alvarez of Ajax disappointed during the Dutch eredivisie match between NEC and Ajax in De Goffert on 8 January 2023 in Nijmegen, Netherlands. - Credit: Maurice van Steen / ANP - License: All Rights Reserved

Sunday, 8 January 2023 - 17:10

Ajax fail to take advantage of Feyenoord and PSV’s misstep with draw in Nijmegen

Ajax was held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against NEC Nijmegen in de Goffert stadium. A Landry Dimata equalizer canceled out a goal from Davy Klaassen to ensure that the points were shared. Ajax will be even more frustrated as both of their main title rivals, PSV and Feyenoord also failed to win this weekend before the match.

NEC’s last match before the winter break was a loss away to lowly FC Emmen. Ajax was coming off the back of a tight 5-4 win against bottom-of-the-league FC Volendam. The Amsterdammers have had a poor first half of the season by their standards as the pressure on manager Alfred Schreuder mounts.

Ajax dominated most of the match and started well, missing three big chances in the early stages before Mr reliable Davy Klaassen broke the deadlock after 38 minutes. A Dusan Tadic cross found the midfielder utterly unmarked in the NEC box, and he took full advantage with an easy finish with the inside of his foot.

Ajax went into halftime in the lead and seemed comfortable in the second half until NEC hit the reigning champions with a sucker punch against the run of play. A cross by NEC star player Oussame Tannane arrived at the feet of Landry Dimata, who stroked it home to give NEC the equalizer.

Ajax kept the pressure up after the goal and should have scored a few more times. Kenneth Taylor was wasteful with a headed opportunity, and Lorenzo Lucca did not take advantage of poor marking by the Nijmegen defence.

NEC finished the match with one shot on target to compound the frustration for Alfred Schreuder’s side as the match ended in a stalemate.

With this result, Ajax remains three points behind league leaders Feyenoord, having played 15 matches. NEC is now in ninth place. Both teams have big games next week as Ajax faces FC Twente in the Johan Cruijff arena on Saturday evening. Twente is only one point behind the Amsterdammers, while NEC Nijmegen faces fierce rivals Vitesse Arnhem on Sunday in what promises to be an explosive affair.