Young Ajax has managed to deal with ADO Den Haag in a crazy duel. With the help of the stars Mohammed Kudus and Naci Ünüvar, the Amsterdam reserves managed to score no fewer than six times. As a result, it was ultimately able to have the three hits that ADO managed to produce and the game ended with the same score as earlier this season against NAC Breda: 6-3.
In the first fifteen minutes of the game, nothing was visible of the spectacle that it would be. ADO left the initiative to Jong Ajax, which itself did not participate much. The two highlights from the first fifteen minutes were both in the name of Naci Ünüvar. First, the captain on duty near his own corner flag played his opponent beautifully and cleverly, shortly afterwards he saw an attempt from the box blocked just in time to prevent a goal.
However, the slow pace and slow game suddenly changed completely after the first fifteen minutes. Young Ajax took the lead with the second chance of the match. Youri Baas was released in the box and he found Mohammed Kudus with a low cross. The Ghanaian then worked the ball through an opponent into the short corner.
For a moment, Young Ajax seemed to dominate the match, because through Mohamed Daramy, Sontje Hansen and again Kudus, John Heitinga’s team had good opportunities to double the lead. However, that didn’t work and on the other hand, ADO was right on target with its first chance of the game. Former Ajax player Ricardo Kishna was ejected from a counterattack and remained very calm face to face with Charlie Setford. The attacker controlled the ball behind Setford in the far corner and soon brought his team alongside again.
It seemed like a mental blow for Jong Ajax and a booster for the visitors, because for more than ten minutes ADO ruled the service and got several good chances at 1-2. In addition, it was partly helped by mistakes by Jong Ajax. For example, debutant Tristan Gooijer handed in the ball clumsily, but he was able to correct that mistake with an excellent tackle, when ADO seemed to get a hundred percent chance via Sem Steijn. A moment later, central defender Liam van Gelderen did something similar when Thomas Verheydt turned away very easily and seemed to be heading for Setford alone. Van Gelderen started a risky, but ultimately successful sliding from behind and also managed to thwart a hundred chances.
The actions of the defenders proved to be extra valuable after 35 minutes. Young Ajax finally came through dangerously in the half of The Hague and it immediately resulted in the 2-1. Hansen initially seemed to lose the ball after a good attack, but with a bit of luck got it back and now had a good pass in the house. Danilo was released for Alessandro Damen in his first match for Young Ajax in 2022 and outwitted the goalkeeper with a hard bang in the far corner.
It ushered in a new strong phase for Jong Ajax, in which Kian Fitz-Jim and Daramy, among others, had some great performances, much to the delight of the audience present. Shortly before half time, the good game also resulted in a penalty for the reserves. Danilo again came face to face with Damen and perhaps determined to get revenge, the goalkeeper came out fierce and grabbed the ball. He missed that, but he took down Danilo full, allowing Kudus to sign for his second of the game from the spot. The Ghanaian was only too happy to take that present and so Jong Ajax went to rest with a 3-1 lead.
That lead was deserved over the entire half, but ADO had had enough chances to score more than once. That pattern also continued in the first twenty minutes after the break, making the score remarkable, but not entirely surprising.
After Boy Kemper first headed just wide, Ünüvar seemed to close the game after 54 minutes. The captain on duty is the star of Jong Ajax this season and should therefore not be missing on the scoreboard. After a good combination with Danilo, Ünüvar shot hard, low and clean in the far corner with his left hand.
Within five minutes, however, ADO had reduced the lead from 4-1 to 4-3. First Verheydt managed to put his foot out of whack against the ball, after Jong Ajax couldn’t get it away from a corner. Shortly afterwards, Baas let himself be played out clumsily by Amar Catic, who set Steijn free for Setford. The ADO midfielder did not fail and so completely brought the tension back.
However, the goal drive was far from over, because Jong Ajax also turned out to be hungry. This was especially true for Kudus, who was put in front of the keeper after a nice attack by Ünüvar. The Ghanaian again remained calm and scored his hat-trick with a hard shot from close range.
The hunger for goals seemed to have been satisfied for the time being and there were no great opportunities for a while. So they decided to provide some entertainment in the audience by playing back and forth a few Ajax songs. That was fine, because while some on De Toekomst wondered aloud where Jews come from, the only moment worth mentioning was a blocked attempt by Ünüvar.
After more than eighty minutes, another goal was added. Daramy hadn’t managed to put himself on the scoreboard yet, but had been a plague for the defense of The Hague throughout the match. In the end he was such that he won the second penalty of the evening.
This time the ball went to Ünüvar, who waited a long time to shoot after the referee’s whistle. So long that there was a clear demand from the public for a panenka. Whether that’s why he did it, is the question, but Ünüvar’s panenka came and so did the 6-3. As two chances after that were not spent on Danilo and ADO also failed to score, 6-3 was also the final score.
Line-up Young Ajax:
Setford; Gooijer, Van Gelderen, Musampa, Boss; Fitz-Jim, Ünüvar, Kudus; Hansen (Rasmussen 46′), Danilo, Daramy.
Substitutions Young Ajax:
Roggeveen, Van der Sloot, Salah-Eddine, Yah, Warmerdam, Hlynsson, Martha, Rasmussen.
Line-up ADO The Hague:
ladies; Amofa, Asante Matthys, Kemper; Bourard, Reemst, Steijn; Catic, Verheydt, Kishna
Substitutions ADO The Hague:
wentges. Nikiema, Seedorf, Komljenovic, Van Mil, Mulder, Dicke, Severina, Mulder
Goals:
1-0 Mohammed Kudus (18′)
1-1 Ricardo Kishna (23′)
2-1 Danilo (35′)
3-1 Mohammed Kudus (41′)
4-1 Naci Ünüvar (54′)
4-2 Thomas Verheydt (58′)
4-3 Shem Steijn (59′)
5-3 Holy Mohammed (64′)
6-3 Naci Ünüvar (83′ pen.)
Particularities:
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