Ajax are two games away from the Eredivisie title after a 4-2 victory over Vitesse Arnhem.
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Erik ten Hag decided to give David Neres a rest with Kasper Dolberg coming into the eleven. Vitesse were dealt a blow before kick-off as Bryan Linssen picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Mohammed Dauda.
Ajax dominated possession but they struggled to create chances against Vitesse’s five-man defence. Matthijs de Ligt came closest but his header was kept out by Remko Pasveer.
In the 41st minute, the home side finally broke the deadlock when Dusan Tadic chipped the ball to the back-post where Hakim Ziyech spun his marker before netting.
In the 54th minute, Duada dragged De Ligt to the ground and Tadic slotted in the spot kick to make it 2-0. Four minutes later, De Ligt headed in a third from a corner. This was Ajax’s 159th goal of the season, a new record for a Dutch side.
Ziyech found the net again but his second was ruled out for offside. Vitesse then pulled one back through a Navarone Foor volley.
The goal gave Vitesse some confidence but any tension was taken away when substitute Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was taken down in the box. Tadic netted from the spot again to make it 4-1.
Oussama Darfalou pulled another goal back but Vitesse were then reduced to ten men as Matus Bero was shown his second yellow card.
Ajax comfortably saw out the last few minutes and moved three points clear of PSV with two games now standing between them and the Eredivisie title. Next up for Ten Hag’s side is the Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur one week today. Vitesse remains 7th.
Thought was another very good performance and Ajax never looked in any serious trouble.
It’s actually a privilege to watch this wonderfully talented side of emerging world class players like De Jong and De Ligt operating alongside older experienced campaigners like Blind and Tadic.
And what a classy and exciting team they can be.
(Though lapses of concentration can make games like tonight’s more complicated than they need to be.)
Ajax continues to march to the title and Dolberg continues to falter rather than flourish.