Ajax throw away their lead completely and suffer their first dropped points of the season
Ajax dropped points for the first time in this VriendenLoterij Eredivisie season against sc Heerenveen on Sunday afternoon. At the Johan Cruyff ArenA, Míchel Sánchez's side threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2. The result leaves Ajax fifth in the Eredivisie. Heerenveen are provisionally seventh.
Before kick-off, the mood was festive. The match marked the 30th anniversary of the Johan Cruyff ArenA, which opened on 14 August 1996. Louis van Gaal, Jari Litmanen and Brian Brobbey were among the prominent figures in attendance.
Ajax had to cope without the injured Daley Blind and Mika Godts, who has left for Paris Saint-Germain. Youri Baas and Abdellah Ouazane came in for them. Julian Brandt and Marcos Leonardo were among those named on the bench.
Right from the start, the home side took control and forced Bernt Klaverboer into a save from Oscar Gloukh. A few minutes later, the same goalkeeper played the villain for the 1-0. Aaron Bouwman hit the post from a corner, then Klaverboer turned the ball into his own net.
Gradually, Ajax lost some of that early momentum and Heerenveen began to break out now and again. Jacob Trenskow had one effort blocked and Dirk Proper fired over. At the other end, Kasper Dolberg wasted a huge chance to make it 2-0, blazing over with what was more or less an open goal in front of him.
Before the break, Ajax still found a second through Ouazane, who brilliantly fired into the top corner from distance. Heerenveen hit back in stoppage time to make it 2-1. Marc ter Stegen denied Luca Oyen and Dylan Vente, but he had no chance when Trenskow smashed the ball into the far top corner.
After the restart, Gloukh went close to a third Ajax goal, but Marcus Linday and Klaverboer combined to keep it out. From there, Ajax slowly lost their grip on the match.
With ten minutes left, Heerenveen made that count and levelled at 2-2. Maxence Rivera picked up the ball in the scramble and hammered it home. Heerenveen then looked the more likely side to find a winner, but the decisive goal never came.
