Hosts surrender advantage in landmark match at Johan Cruyff ArenA
AFC Ajax conceded their first dropped points of the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie season after surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with sc Heerenveen on Sunday at the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
The match also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the stadium, which opened on Aug. 14, 1996. The occasion drew a number of prominent figures associated with Ajax, and the atmosphere was notably celebratory before kick-off.
"Ajax have dropped points for the first time in this Eredivisie season."
Early on the hosts dominated possession and created the clearer chances. The opening goal arrived in fortunate fashion: from a corner, Aaron Bouwman’s effort took a deflection off Heerenveen goalkeeper Brent Klaverboer and ended up in the net to make it 1-0. That goal settled Ajax and they extended their margin before the interval.
Abdellah Ouazane produced a highlight when he struck into the top corner from distance to put Ajax up 2-0 just after the half-hour mark. The scoreline suggested the home side would reach half-time with a comfortable lead.
Heerenveen fight back before and after the break
But Heerenveen hit back in stoppage time of the first half through Jacob Trenskow, who found the top-left corner with a diagonal effort to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The goal came after a period in which Ajax had missed several clear openings, including a glaring miss by Kasper Dolberg earlier in the half.
Ajax started the second half on the front foot and continued to fashion opportunities through Oscar Gloukh, Dolberg and Ouazane. Marc ter Stegen, in goal for Ajax, made a number of saves but could not prevent Trenskow’s first-half strike.
As the match progressed Ajax gradually lost control, and with roughly eight minutes to play substitute Maxence Rivera capitalised on a scramble to hammer home the equaliser and make it 2-2. Heerenveen pushed for a winner late on and at times looked the more likely side, but the decisive goal did not come.
- Final score: Ajax 2, sc Heerenveen 2
- Scorers: Klaverboer (own goal) 7', Abdellah Ouazane 33', Jacob Trenskow 45+?, Maxence Rivera 82'
- Significance: Ajax’s first dropped points of the season; Ajax sit fifth in the Eredivisie standings following the result
Team selection and match details
Ajax were without Daley Blind through injury and Mika Godts, who has departed for Paris Saint-Germain. Youri Baas and Abdellah Ouazane replaced them in the starting XI. Julian Brandt and Marcos Leonardo were among the substitutes listed on the bench.
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 7' | Aaron Bouwman (o.g.) — 1-0 |
| 33' | Abdellah Ouazane — 2-0 |
| 45+? | Jacob Trenskow — 2-1 |
| 82' | Maxence Rivera — 2-2 |
Ajax’s matchday line-up included Marc ter Stegen in goal, with Rosa, Bouwman, Youri Baas and Henrique across the back. The midfield and attack featured Regeer, Davy Klaassen, Oscar Gloukh, Steven Berghuis, Kasper Dolberg and Abdellah Ouazane; several substitutions were used in the second half as manager Míchel Sánchez sought to restore control.
For supporters in Ajax, Ontario who track European football, the result is a reminder that early-season form can be fragile even for established clubs. The draw leaves Ajax placed fifth in the table provisionally, while Heerenveen move to a provisional seventh.
Beyond the immediacy of the scoreline, the match carried symbolic weight as the Johan Cruyff ArenA marked three decades as Ajax’s home. The club marked the anniversary with a gathering of former players and figures tied to the stadium’s history.
With the Eredivisie campaign still in its early stages, Ajax will look to quickly refocus and address the lapses that allowed Heerenveen back into a game they had controlled for long periods.
