Ajax's lead at the top of the Eredivisie reduced to six points after 2-2 draw with AZ
Ajax suffered a setback in the Eredivisie on Sunday. Francesco Farioli’s team drew 2-2 with AZ Alkmaar. The Amsterdammers had to come back from behind on two occasions in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, with Anton Gaaei and Oliver Edvardsen canceling out Zico Buurmeester and Ibrahim Sadiq’s goals.
The draw means that Ajax’s lead over PSV at the top of the table has been reduced to six points, with the two sides facing each other after the international break.
The start of the game was delayed as Ajax fans set off fireworks to commemorate the club’s 125th anniversary. The league leaders almost took the lead in the third minute when Anton Gaaei’s cross was almost headed in by Brian Brobbey.
Referee Dennis Higler struggled to control the game, with both teams and coaches showing their displeasure with his decisions.
Ajax came close to taking the lead in the sixth minute of the second half. Mika Godts cut inside and played in Kenneth Taylor, whose shot hit the outside of the post.
This proved costly as Maarten Martens’ side took the lead within the next minute. A fortunate drop of the ball allowed Zico Buurmeester to score after Krijstijan Belic had dribbled into the box. Buurmeester’s shot was low and hard into the bottom corner.
The Ajax fans in the stadium seem to be in disbelief that their team did not level the game in the 55th minute. A cross from Taylor found Bertrand Traore unmarked at the far post, and the Gambian winger missed the target when it seemed an easy chance to convert.
The eventual spell continued when Ajax got the equalizer two minutes later. Traore made up for his error to some degree by backheeling the ball to Gaaei, who had come forward from right back before the Dane hit a low, hard shot into the net via the inside of the post.
However, Gaaei’s afternoon changed drastically in the 73rd minute when he was sent off for a studs-up challenge after a VAR review. This turned out to be the first of two red cards in quick succession as Alexandre Penetra was given a second yellow just three minutes later, making it 10 against 10.
This led to a strange incident as AZ center back Wouter Goes seemed to be signaling to his teammates that they should walk off the pitch in protest. But the match eventually continued and AZ re-took the lead in the 83rd minute when Ibrahim Sadiq headed home from a corner.
Ajax equalized just a few minutes later with a big piece of luck. A cross by Taylor was going straight into Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro’s hands, but the young keeper let the ball slip through, giving Victor Edvardsen an unmissable chance.
PSV had beaten relegation candidates RKC Waalwijk 0-3 on Saturday evening through goals from Ivan Perisic, Noa Lang, and Luuk de Jong. This means that it is all in the balance between the two teams going into their match at the Philips Stadium on March 30.
