Managerial change fails to spark Ajax in 2-1 defeat to FC Utrecht

Ajax lost their first game since sacking John Heitinga on Sunday, away to FC Utrecht. The Amsterdammers were beaten 2-1 thanks to a winning goal by Sebastien Haller. It is the third season in a row that they have lost in Utrecht.

There was not much difference in the performance levels compared to under Heitinga, who was sacked on Thursday. The Amsterdammers struggled to create many chances, with Oscar Gloukh seeming to be the only consistent source of creativity.

Interim manager Fred Grim gave Gerard Alders his first start for the first team. The 20-year-old replaced Owen Wijndal, who is out with an injury. He also started Oliver Edvarsen ahead of Ajax’s summer signing Raul Moro.

Ron Jans opted for former Ajax forward Sebastien Haller in the striker position ahead of David Min, who starts the game on the bench. The Utrecht side was missing defender Mike van der Hoorn through injury.

The level of quality in the first half from both sides was, putting it mildly, dreadful. It was clear that both teams had regressed significantly compared to last season, and the fact that both teams played European football in the midweek will have played a role.

The closest that either team got to scoring in the first half hour resulted in an incomplete pass. A good through ball from Oscar Gloukh found Mika Godts in behind the defence, he played the ball across the box to Wout Weghorst, who attempted to lay it off to Kenneth Taylor, but this was then smothered by the Utrecht defense.

The final few minutes of the half were filled with drama. First, Ajax thought they had taken the lead when Gloukh found Weghorst at the far post, and the experienced striker finished the chance convincingly. But this was then disallowed after a VAR review for a foul from Lucas Rosa on Gijval Zechiel.

This proved even more disappointing for Ajax when Utrecht took the lead in injury time of the first half. A corner from Sofian El Karouani was headed into the far corner by Matisse Didden. This gave the crowd in the Galgenwaard a huge boost going into halftime with the score 1-0 to Utrecht.

Haller came back to haunt his former club in the 54th minute. Another fantastic delivery from El Karouani, from a set piece found the Ivorian striker unmarked in the box, and he headed home for his first goal since April 25, his longest goal drought.

This two-goal lead did not last for long. Ajax struck back instantly when a long-distance shot from Mika Godts went in via the arm of Vasilias Barkas. The Greek goalkeeper, who was sent off on Thursday against FC Porto, should have done better with the effort.

Although Ajax were pushing for an equalizer, it was looking more likely that Utrecht would get a third goal than the other way round. A giveaway by Ajax midfielder Youri Regeer gave substitute Yoann Cathline a chance, but his effort was knocked out for a corner by Remko Pasveer.

This then also led to a significant chance when Pasveer knocked a ball down into the box to Miguel Rodriguez, whose effort the veteran keeper came out to block.

Ajax remains in fourth place, with a four-point gap to third-place AZ and eight points to Feyenoord and PSV. Two of these sides, AZ and PSV, face each other later in the afternoon.

Utrecht is now only a point behind Ajax in sixth place. FC Groningen, who face NEC Nijmegen later in the afternoon, could go above the Amsterdam team with a win.