The difference between Ajax, PSV and AZ, number four in the ranking, is now five points. In two weeks a direct confrontation is scheduled between PSV and Ajax in Eindhoven. Second place entitles you to participate in the preliminary round of the Champions League, a tournament in which tens of millions can be earned.
Interim coach John Heitinga has not put Ajax on a championship course, but the results achieved under his leadership cannot be argued with very much. The 39-year-old coach would like to continue after this season, and he has asked the club management for clarity about his future. In the meantime, Heitinga shows what he stands for with his selection policy. After the young Youri Baas, Jorrel Hato, who had just turned seventeen, was also allowed to participate in a half against Fortuna. And Heitinga let Silvano Vos (18) make his debut after the break. Both homegrown talents made a confident impression: they played daring and mature at the same time. In the final phase, Belgian youth player Mika Godts (17) also got his first minutes in Ajax 1. He has only been in Amsterdam for two months.
Classic goal
It was a good week for Heitinga from a sporting point of view, with the cup victory in De Kuip against Feyenoord and the simple victory over Fortuna. Davy Klaassen (head wound) was no longer bothered by the physical damage his selection had suffered in Rotterdam. Mohammed Kudus (muscle injury) is. His replacement was not Francisco Conceiçao, but Florian Grillitsch. Steven Berghuis therefore moved to the right wing position.
Heitinga’s plan resulted in a goal within six minutes. Grillitsch was at the basis of the opening goal, with right back Jorge Sánchez as an extension. Berghuis came up with a classic goal: he curled the ball with his left into the far corner. It was his first goal in two months. The next one was not long in coming; twenty minutes to be exact. The cunning pass to Dusan Tadic was from left back Youri Baas, the Serb’s cross was completed by Berghuis in two instances, this time with his right leg.
Grillitsch’s role was striking. The 27-year-old Austrian plays a very modest tune this season. He came over on a free transfer from the German Hoffenheim last summer, the club where Alfred Schreuder also worked. On the advice of the dismissed trainer, Grillitsch signed a contract in Amsterdam. He hardly played for the club so far, and certainly not ninety minutes. He had to make do with short raids in the Champions League and slightly less short raids in seven premier league matches.
In control
The midfielder can play football. He is quite tall, not too fast, but positionally strong and smart in the personal duels. His greatest qualities are his insight and passing. Grillitsch calmly and efficiently moved the game from left to right and back, until there was room on the crowded Limburg half to set up a promising attack.
It took Ajax little effort to keep control. Ten minutes after the break, the decisive 3-0 fell, with another assist from Tadic. Bergwijn hit mercilessly hard for his tenth premier league goal. Shortly before time, Kenneth Taylor also took his goal – a low slider.
Ajax failed to give the weak opponent a much bigger punishment, although the goal difference is already better (6 goals) than that of PSV, which also won 4-0 against Excelsior on Saturday.
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