Ajax bottom of the league after loss in Eindhoven against PSV
Ajax are bottom of the Eredivisie table after this weekend. The Amsterdammers lost 5-2 at the Philips stadium against PSV while seeing FC Volendam beat Excelsior to leapfrog them in the table. Hirving Lozano was the main for PSV as the Mexican international got a hat trick.
Peter Bosz made no changes to the side that drew against RC Lens in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. Ajax interim manager Hedwiges Maduro made three changes to the side that lost to Brighton in the Europa League. Defender Borna Sosa and winger Carlos Forbs were not fit enough to play, and Benjamin Tahirovic was dropped. Gaston Avila, Branco van den Boomen, and Kristian Hlynsson were brought into the side.
Ajax surprisingly took the lead after nine minutes. The ball was deflected into the path of van den Boomen, who shot from distance. Andre Ramalho decided at the last second to let the ball run, which seemed to surprise PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez as the ball went in off the post.
PSV looked shell-shocked by the way Ajax were playing, and Maduro’s side should have taken advantage by doubling their lead a short while later. Captain Steven Bergwijn played the ball to the onrushing Kenneth Taylor, who gave Brian Brobbey a seemingly unmissable chance, but the striker’s shot went over the open goal.
It proved costly as the home side equalized after 20 minutes played. Olivier Boscagli played a ball through to Hirving Lozano. The Mexican winger received it and cut inside before shooting through the legs of defender Josip Sutalo and past Diant Ramaj in the near post.
Ajax reacted perfectly to the setback, as they should have retaken the lead straight from the kickoff. Anton Gaaei was found by Steven Berghuis and crossed it straight to Hlynsson, who was completely unmarked in the box, but Benitez saved the young midfielder’s header.
The match was halted for a while as a fan needed urgent medical attention in the crowd. Ajax and PSV’s doctors came over to help the fan. The stadium announcer announced that the situation was under control, and the match was restarted.
Ajax went 2-1 up in the 40th minute. Bergwijn was dangerous again with his passing, finding Brobbey this time, who did not make the same mistake twice, converting this chance by putting the ball through Benitez’s legs.
PSV came out for the second half with a different mentality, and it showed as they equalized within three minutes of the second half starting. Lozano curled a shot from the edge of the area, which hit the post and bounced straight to Luuk de Jong. The veteran striker only had to put his foot against the ball to level the match.
Bosz’s side kept pushing and took the lead after 52 minutes. Ismael Saibari came on at halftime and made the difference instantly by giving his side the lead. The young midfielder received the ball after a brilliant backheel by de Jong and dribbled past Diant Ramaj in the Ajax goal before bundling it home.
Ajax’s young side were overwhelmed, and PSV made it 4-2 after an hour played. Sutalo made a mistake passing the ball to Saibari, who found Johan Bakayoko behind the defence. The young Belgian winger crossed it for Lozano to volley home.
The Mexican winger got his hat trick after 71 minutes. Another substitute, Guus Til, got an assist as he crossed the ball low to the far post, where Gaaei had not seen Lozano coming. The 28-year-old slid the ball home with a suspicion of handball, which VAR checked before being awarded as a legitimate goal. He is the first PSV player to score a hat trick against Ajax since Mark van Bommel in 2005.
Til should have made it 6-2 in the 84th minute, but he took too long to get a shot off with Jorrel Hato stopping him.
This is the first time in Ajax’s history that they have lost five Eredivisie matches in a row. They face FC Volendam on Thursday. PSV are now five points clear at the top of the table. They face Heracles Almelo next weekend.
