Substitutes make the difference for Ajax in hard fought 1-2 win at Willem II

Ajax have passed another hurdle on their way to the Eredivisie title. The league leaders needed substitutes to beat relegation candidates Willem II 1-2. They are still nine points ahead of the second-placed side, PSV. Ajax now need seven points from their final five matches to confirm the championship.

Substitutes Oliver Edvardsen, Wout Weghorst, Steven Berghuis, and Kian Fitz-Jim brought Ajax closer to the 37th Eredivisie league title. Edvardsen leveled the game in the 74th minute from an assist by Berghuis, and Weghorst scored the winning goal two minutes later from a Fitz-Jim assist.

Most of the game was played in Willem II’s half. The home team sat back around the penalty area after a run of just two points won in their last 11 games. Ajax had a lot of possession and were threatening, but they created very little when it came to chances.

Ahmetcan Kaplan had the biggest opportunity to score. The defender, who came into the side to replace the injured Youri Baas, headed the ball onto the body of Willem II goalkeeper Thomas Didillon-Hödl.

Davy Klaassen claimed a penalty on two separate occasions but the referee Marc Nagtegaal did not award a penalty for the incidents, nor for an incident in which the ball struck the arm of defender Erik Schouten.

Willem II hardly came near Ajax’s goal yet found themselves in front in the 41st minute. Emilio Kehrer beat Klaassen before hitting a hard shot via the underside of the bar to make it 1-0.

The league leaders had to mount a comeback. They started the game with Brian Brobbey and Anton Gaaei, who returned from a suspension. Jordan Henderson returned from an injury, and Bertrand Traore was chosen to start ahead of Berghuis on the right wing.

Ajax were suffering from a lack of creativity in the opening stages of the second half, which caused them to struggle to break their opponents down. Ajax manager Francesco Farioli had Weghorst and Berghuis come on for Brobbey and Klaassen in order to force something.

This was followed by Mika Godts and Jorrel Hato coming off for Edvardsen and Fitz-Jim shortly thereafter. The subs had the desired effect.

For Willem II, a spot in the play off to avoid relegation seems to be hard to avoid at this point. The club are seven points behind the safe 15th position, which is taken up by NAC Breda. The lead on RKC Waalwijk and Almere in the confirmed relegation spots is five points.