Ajax continued their winning streak with a 2-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam at Het Kasteel. Despite some complications, the Amsterdam players secured the win, with goals from Tolu Arokodare and Abdellah Ouazane, similar to their Champions League match against Atalanta. Marc ter Stegen played a crucial role in this success.
In the Champions League, Ajax thanked Tolu and Ouazane for their 2-0 victory over Atalanta. They were both in the starting lineup for the match against Sparta, along with Thilo Kehrer and Viktor Tsygankov. In total, Ajax coach Míchel made six changes from Thursday night's match. In Rotterdam, Jens Toornstra had a memorable moment as he started the match, marking his 500th Eredivisie appearance.
The Amsterdam players started the match well, controlling the game and opening the scoring through Ouazane after 22 minutes. The talented Ajax player found the back of the net brilliantly, scoring a magnificent goal for the second time in a week. Even after this goal, Ajax maintained control of the match, but towards the end of the first half, Sparta gained momentum. The Rotterdammers became more aggressive and equalized before the break. Toornstra, celebrating his birthday, scored with a header from one of Sparta's first chances, beating ter Stegen.
The response was swift: in stoppage time of the first half, Míchel's team counterattacked to lead 2-1. Julian Brandt found Tolu, and the Nigerian forward scored, just like last Thursday. Thanks to this goal, Ajax went into halftime with the advantage. Adjustments were made during the break. Davy Klaassen replaced Tsygankov, allowing Ajax to revert to the system used against FC Groningen and Atalanta, with the veteran playing as a right winger.
Just like in the first half, Ajax started the second half well. The ball moved smoothly at Het Kasteel, and shortly after the restart, Tolu hit the post. Brandt was instrumental with two assists, but the German also created a golden opportunity for Mitchell van Bergen. Brandt made a major error before the play, but Ter Stegen saved his teammate.
This chance boosted Sparta's confidence, and Rogier Meijer's team became more engaged in the match. Ajax's goalkeeper also denied a shot from Milan Zonneveld. His intervention was crucial in securing the three points. Just before the final whistle, Daley Blind returned to the field after a long injury layoff.
With this victory, Ajax delivered an impressive performance and surpassed PSV in the standings. The draw at home against Feyenoord allowed Ajax to close the gap with the leader. This result (1-1 in Eindhoven) brings the gap down to three points. Sparta, on the other hand, needs to focus and finishes the tenth matchday in fourteenth place. In the next league round, Ajax will host their eternal rival AZ, while Sparta will face Fortuna Sittard midweek in the first round of the KNVB Cup before heading to Groningen for an Eredivisie match.
