Ajax close the gap to league leaders PSV to one point with 0-2 win in Heerenveen

Ajax was the big winner of the 19th match day in the Eredivisie. The club from the capital beat SC Heerenveen 2-0 in the Abe Lenstra stadium and was the only team in the top six to win this weekend. Josip Sutalo and substitute Chuba Akpom scored the goals for the Amsterdammers.

Ajax closed the gap to league leaders PSV to one point and strengthened its position in second place. The lead on third-place FC Utrecht has now grown to five points. Feyenoord will play the Klassieker against Ajax while being nine points behind their arch-rivals.

The first and second-placed teams will qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, and Ajax desperately needs the income that this generates to achieve its ambitions.

The visitors took the initiative quickly in the match to put their midweek loss to AZ Alkmaar in the KNVB Cup behind them. Brian Brobbey, who was starting his third match in a row, won a corner, which led to Sutalo breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute. Anton Gaaei took the corner, which led to the goal.

The right-back from Denmark was often criticized last season and was substituted twice before halftime. He started this match because Devyne Rensch seems to be set to move to AS Roma. Gaaei also gave Bertrand Traore an almost unmissable chance before halftime, but the right winger hit his shot straight at the Heerenveen keeper, Micky van der Hart.

Heerenveen was knocked out of the KNVB Cup on Thursday by amateur team Quick Boys. They hardly troubled Ajax during the match. Van der Hart prevented a second goal of the match with a terrific save to stop Mika Godts.

Kenneth Taylor had the ball in the net in the opening stages of the second half, but the referee disallowed the goal because Gaaei was in an offside position when he passed the ball to the midfielder. Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis were brought on shortly after this, replacing Kian Fitz-Jim and Traore.

The home team seemed to realize after these subs that the difference was just one goal. They pushed harder for an equalizer but never really came close. Ajax manager Francesco Farioli responded by bringing on Wout Weghorst, Chuba Akpom, and Rensch.

Akpom scored a header in the 82nd minute to make it 2-0 and put any excitement that the final stages may have had to rest.