Ajax warmed up for their Europa League clash with Schalke by hammering NEC Nijmegen 5-1 which moves them level on points with Feyenoord.
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NEC went into the game on the back of four straight losses which have left them dangerously hovering around the drop zone. After only four minutes they were on course for another defeat as Wojciech Golla worked the ball into his own net.
Four minutes later it was 2-0 with Amin Younes threading the ball to David Neres who tucked the ball past Joris Delle for his second goal in two Eredivisie starts. Bertrand Traore scored the third just after the half hour mark as Ajax threatened to run riot in the first half.
Luckily for NEC they got into the break without conceding anymore and ten minutes into the second half they pulled one back through substitute Ferdi Kadioglu, who spotted Andre Onana off his line and lifted the ball into the net.
However, any chance of a comeback was quickly snuffed out by Ajax who added their fourth on the hour mark. Younes jinked through the NEC defence before his cross was prodded into the path of Traore by Davy Klaassen and the striker netted his second.
With 12 minutes left Hakim Ziyech added a fifth with a lovely run past three NEC defenders before poking the ball into the net.
Ajax move level on points with Feyenoord but remain second on goal difference. NEC have now slipped into 16th and are looking short of confidence and ideas on how to escape relegation.
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