Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven are still 21 points apart in the Eredivisie after their head-to-head clash. Although the Dutch record champions put the league leaders in trouble, they did not fall in a 1-1 draw
PSV would never have dreamed of being in this position before matchday 20: Eindhoven led the Eredivisie with 18 wins from 19 games. Before the visit to Amsterdam, coach Peter Bosz’s team were an incredible 21 points ahead of Ajax. In addition to three points, the home side also wanted to inflict their rivals’ first league defeat of the season.
And on the Ajax debut of new winter signing Jordan Henderson, who had declared his project in Saudi Arabia over, the home side got off to a flying start. After a clever counter-attack, ex-Leipzig player Brobbey, having supposedly wasted a chance, laid it off to Berghuis at the right moment, who tunneled through his opponent Boscagli and shot in to make it 1:0 (19′).
However, head coach John van’t Schip’s team suffered a personnel setback shortly afterwards, with ex-Stuttgart player Sosa coming on for the injured Rensch (28). And PSV promptly took advantage of the home side’s disorganized backline: Saibari crossed from the left to the first post, where ex-Gladbach player de Jong asserted himself and took a direct shot past ex-Frankfurter Ramaj in the Ajax goal (34′).
Benitez twice prevents Ajax’s lucky punch
After the break, more dangerous actions in front of goal became rarer: Bakayoko went close with a powerful shot, but Ramaj prevented him from going behind (57′). Shortly afterwards, de Jong rose high but headed the ball to the left of the goal (69′). Almost in the opposite direction, Brobbey missed a promising opportunity (71′).
The game really picked up again in stoppage time, when Ajax had two great chances to score the lucky punch, but PSV keeper Benitez made a remarkable save from Taylor and Hato (90.+1/90.+4).
In the end, the 1-1 draw held, keeping PSV unbeaten in the league. Bosz’s side, who play the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund on February 20, face an away game at FC Volendam on February 11. Ajax face SC Heerenveen on the same day
