Ajax draw against Excelsior; PSV come back from a goal down
Ajax were unable to beat Excelsior in Rotterdam on Saturday. Maurice Steijn’s side drew 2-2, with Brian Brobbey and Davy Klaassen scoring. Siebe Horemans and Nikolas Agrafiotis scored the goals for Excelsior.
Two of Ajax’s new signings, Chuba Akpom, and Anton Gaaei, were in the stand to watch their side play. Akpom is joining from the English championship side Middlesbrough with Gaaei coming from Viborg in Sweden.
Brian Brobbey gave Ajax the lead after 24 minutes when Carlos Borges took the ball off Excelsior centre-back Serano Seymor. The young striker thought he had doubled his tally and Ajax’s lead 16 minutes later, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
Excelsior equalized in the injury time of the first half after a brilliant attack finished with right-back Siebe Horemans placing the ball into the net. The hero of Ajax’s victory last weekend against Heracles Jakov Medic was the next defender to make a mistake which Nikolas Agrafiotis profited from to give the Rotterdammers the lead. Substitute Davy Klaassen scored to earn Ajax a draw after he volleyed home a cross by Mohamed Kudus.
PSV also did not have it easy in Arnhem against Vitesse, going a goal behind as ex-PSV midfielder Marco van Ginkel scored after 18 minutes which was also the scoreline going into halftime as an irate-looking Peter Bosz made his way down the tunnel.
The Eindhovenaren leveled the match two minutes into the second half after a brilliant backheel from Luuk de Jong found Ismael Saibari behind the defence, who finished with his weaker foot.
Another youth product gave PSV the lead when Yorbe Vertessen finished convincingly after 63 minutes to complete the comeback. De Jong got himself on the scoresheet as he converted a penalty in the 70th minute to finish the scoring for the day.
PSV will face Rangers on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier in Glasgow. Ajax travel to Bulgaria to face Ludogorets in a Europa League qualifier.
