Ajax again failed to win in the Eredivisie on Saturday. The faltering team of Alfred Schreuder played in the top match in the Johan Cruijff ArenA against FC Twente for a long time with ten men and could not be dissatisfied with 0-0.
Devyne Rensch received a red card in the 35th minute because he pulled the shirt of FC Twente striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel, who had broken through. At that time, the visitors had already hit the post twice via Václav Cerný and Michel Vlap. After the break there were fewer chances and again no goals were scored.
Ajax has now not won five games in a row in the Eredivisie and that is the first time since the 2010/2011 season. The gap with leader Feyenoord is now two points, but the team from Rotterdam will play against FC Groningen on Sunday.
AZ, which won 0-2 at sc Heerenveen on Saturday, is also above Ajax and PSV can also pass the reigning champion this weekend. FC Twente is fifth.
Eredivisie-speelronde 16
- Heerenveen-AZ 0-2
- Volendam-RKC 2-1
- Ajax-Twente 0-0
- Sparta-Excelsior 1-0
- Zondag 12.15 uur: Vitesse-NEC
- Zondag 14.30 uur: Go Ahead-Utrecht
- Zondag 14.30 uur: Fortuna-PSV
- Zondag 16.45 uur: Groningen-Feyenoord
- Zondag 16.45 uur: Emmen-Cambuur
Rensch from the field on a stretcher
Due to the lousy results in recent months, Ajax and Schreuder in particular started the duel with Twente under great pressure. It almost seemed to go wrong again quickly, but the team from Amsterdam escaped twice. After five minutes, former Ajax player Cerný tapped a cross against the post, after which Twente hit the aluminum again a minute later. This time it was Van Wolfswinkel who hit the post.
FC Twente remained stronger than Ajax before the break, which was still close to 1-0 with a header from Davy Klaassen in the seventeenth minute. Twente had a third big chance in the 28th minute. Van Wolfswinkel set Vlap free for the goal with a wonderful pass, but he hit the ball wrong.
That’s how Ajax was lucky, until it went wrong in the 35th in the back. Rensch pulled Van Wolfswinkel, who had broken through, to the shirt and got a red card from referee Allard Lindhout. The defender was not affected by this, because he was hit in the face by Van Wolfswinkel’s foot during the duel and left the field on a stretcher.
Error Rulli is not penalized
With one man less, it was a fight for Ajax after the break, which actually seemed to have a little more control with ten men. Ajax keeper Gerónimo Rulli made a mistake by suffering a stupid loss of possession, but that was not punished. After an hour, the Argentinian saved on a free kick by Gijs Smal.
On the other hand, there was a big chance for Ajax. Kenneth Taylor was suddenly able to swing and the ball went half a meter wide of Lars Unnerstall’s goal.
In the final phase there was still pressure from Twente. There were some chances, but Rulli was not really tested anymore. It remained 0-0 and the problems for Ajax and Schreuder are far from over.
Top 5 Eredivisie
- 1. Feyenoord 15-34 (+22)
- 2. AZ 16-33 (+11)
- 3. Ajax 16-32 (+27)
- 4. PSV 15-31 (+22)
- 5. FC Twente 16-31 (+17)
