Ajax secured their third consecutive home win of the Eredivisie season, beating PEC Zwolle 3-1 in a match that saw them get away with a shaky second-half performance. The victory allows Ajax to maintain their strong start to the domestic campaign as they now prepare for their UEFA Champions League opener.
Manager John Heitinga raised some eyebrows with a surprising starting lineup, opting for Youri Regeer, Mika Godts, and Wout Weghorst over newcomers like Oscar Gloukh and Kasper Dolberg. The new-look attack came out with immediate intent, creating several early chances. The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Davy Klaassen scored with an expertly taken lob, living up to his nickname, “Mister 1-0.â€
Mika Godts had a standout first-half performance, constantly threatening from the left side. His hard work was rewarded in the 37th minute when he finished a weighted ball from Kenneth Taylor to double Ajax’s lead, making it 2-0 at halftime.
However, the second half told a different story. Ajax struggled to replicate their impressive opening half, and their intensity dropped off. The team’s collapse was punctuated by a defensive error, with a bad pass from substitute Josip Sutalo leading to Kaj de Rooij scoring for PEC Zwolle in the 69th minute.
The goal gave Zwolle a surge of hope, and they nearly equalized with a header from Gabriel Reiziger. Despite the poor performance, Godts was the one to save the day, scoring his second goal of the match in the 86th minute with Ajax’s first shot on target of the half. The late goal sealed the victory and allowed Ajax to breathe a sigh of relief.
Ajax will now turn their attention to their return to the Champions League, with a home match against Inter on Wednesday.
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