Ajax once again dropped crucial points in the Eredivisie, drawing 1-1 at home against NEC on Saturday evening in the Johan Cruijff Arena. This result marks the fourth time in five home matches this season that the Amsterdam club has failed to secure a win, according to AD.nl, further hindering their title aspirations.
The draw sees Ajax falling five points behind current league leaders Feyenoord, who secured a 2-1 victory over AZ, and four points adrift of defending champions PSV, who defeated SC Heerenveen 2-0. Coach Míchel Sánchez’s side now faces an uphill battle in the early stages of the season.
Match Details and Key Moments
Ajax initially took the lead in the match against NEC. Following good preparatory work from Jorthy Mokio, Nigerian striker Tolu powerfully headed the ball into the net for his fourth Eredivisie goal. He dedicated the goal to teammate Kasper Dolberg, who suffered a severe knee injury during the international break while training with the Denmark national team, as reported by AD.nl.
However, Ajax’s lead was short-lived. Just ten minutes later, NEC drew level when Tjaronn Chery converted a penalty, awarded after French midfielder Noé Lebreton was fouled by Mokio. Mokio himself later came close to scoring, but his powerful shot struck the crossbar. Despite pressing for a second goal, particularly through Oscar Gloukh, Ajax could not break the deadlock. After half-time, the match saw periods of Ajax dominance interspersed with dangerous NEC counter-attacks, but neither side managed to score again.
The match also featured several notable debuts and returns. Ivorian winger Simon Adingra, on loan from Sunderland, made his debut for Ajax, coming on as a right winger in the 60th minute for Viktor Tsygankov. For NEC, former Ajax left-back Mitchel Bakker, who signed during the international break, made his debut as a substitute and was met with whistles from the Johan Cruijff Arena crowd. Two other former Ajax players, Perr Schuurs and Dusan Tadic, started for NEC, with Ajax fans displaying a large banner for Tadic, recognising his successful period with the club from 2018 to 2023 under Erik ten Hag.
Ajax’s Eredivisie Results and Title Aspirations
Ajax’s struggle for consistency at home has been a significant concern this season. From a possible 15 points in their five home Eredivisie matches, they have only managed to secure six. Prior to the draw with NEC, Ajax had already dropped points in home fixtures against SC Heerenveen (2-2), PSV (1-3), and Excelsior (2-2), with their only home win coming against Willem II (5-1) last month.
The start of the second phase of the season, following a three-week international break, has not provided the desired boost. With a five-point gap to Feyenoord and four points to PSV, Ajax’s title ambitions are already facing considerable pressure. The team will now turn its attention to the start of their Conference League campaign, with an away match against Croatian league leaders Hajduk Split scheduled for Thursday. Their next Eredivisie fixture will be an away game against FC Groningen next Sunday.
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