Justin Kluivert netted his first career hat-trick as Ajax came from behind to hammer Roda JC 5-1 in Amsterdam.
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Ajax went into the game without Luis Manuel Orejuela, Daley Sinkgraven and Nick Viergever, with Deyovaisio Zeefuik coming into make his debut while Justin Kluivert was referred to the unfit Amin Younes.
The hosts hammered NAC Breda 8-0 last week but they looked sluggish against Roda JC, who stunned the ArenA by taking the lead when Christian Kum headed in on the half-hour mark. It should have been 2-0 shortly afterwards but Dani Schahin couldn’t beat Andre Onana after being played in on goal.
With the last kick of the first half, Ajax equalised when Kluivert played a one-two with Hakim Ziyech before curling the ball past Hidde Jurjus.
Marcel Keizer decided to change formation at the break with Frenkie de Jong replacing Zeefuik as Ajax switched to a back three. Just before the hour mark, the hosts were ahead as David Neres set up Kasper Dolberg to fire past Jurjus. Less than a minute later, Kluivert produced the moment of the game as the winger cut in from the left before unleashing an unstoppable strike past Jurjus from distance to make it 3-1.
De Jong set up Donny van de Beek to add a fourth before Kluivert completed his hat-trick in the 84th minute. The winger took down a long ball before cutting into the box and firing low into the far corner. The hat-trick was the first by a Kluivert in the Eredivisie with Justin’s father Patrick never netting a treble for Ajax in the league.
Kluivert was then given a standing ovation as he was replaced by debutante Dennis Johnsen just before the end. The victory keeps Ajax in second place and puts the pressure on leaders PSV while Roda JC remain bottom of the table.
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