Ajax drop points again after letting 2–0 lead slip at Excelsior
Ajax threw away a two-goal lead, drawing 2-2 with Excelsior on Sunday. The Amsterdammers seemed to be in complete control thanks to two first-half goals from Mika Godts before two goals in five minutes from the home side leveled the game.
The win could have put Ajax in second place ahead of the game between PSV and Feyenoord later on. This is not the first time that Ajax have thrown a 2-0 lead recently, the Amsterdammers also drew 2-2 with Go Ahead Eagles a few weeks ago, having gone 2-0 up.
Ajax’s initial lineup had Lucas Rosa at left back, but the Brazilian got injured shortly before the game started. This led to Jorthy Mokio, who is usually a midfielder, playing the position. This issue will likely be fixed in the coming days, with Ukrainian left back Oleksandr Zinchenko in the stands to watch the game prior to the finalization of his transfer.
The first chance of the game came in the 17th minute. Mokio played a good pass into the path of Davy Klaassen, but it was a difficult angle for the midfielder on his weaker foot, and the shot went wide as a result.
Ajax got the first goal in the 21st minute. Quick interchanges between Rayane Bounida and Mika Godts led to Godts receiving the ball in the box. He calmly skipped past Arthur Zagre before hitting a low shot into the bottom corner.
Ajax manager Fred Grim’s tactical plan to press Excelsior high worked perfectly throughout the second half, and it led to Godts’ second goal. Throughout the half, Bounida positioned himself centrally, leaving Zagre free. When the Frenchman was played in Ajax right back, Anton Gaaei would decide whether to jump forward and engage him or not.
This occurred in the 40th minute, which then led to Bounida playing a great pass to Kasper Dolberg, and his lay off to Godts was smashed into the net by the Belgian. His fourth goal in his last six games.
Excelsior’s substitutes turned the game on its head. First, Gyan de Regt started an attack with a fantastic back heel before receiving it again and playing a great chipped cross to the far post, where his fellow substitute, Miliano Jonathans, was unmarked to head home.
That goal fell in the 74th minute, and Excelsior leveled the game five minutes later. De Regt got his second assist since coming on, playing a pass into space for Zagre to run onto. The Frenchman saw that he had no options to pass to in the box and therefore decided to hammer a shot at goal, which went in off the underside of the crossbar.
It was a vital point for Excelsior, who have now created a gap of seven points to the relegation play-off spot. For Ajax, it puts them in fourth place after the weekend. Behind league leaders PSV, Feyenoord, and NEC Nijmegen.
