02/04/2024 07:30 | by Wessel Kroon
Ajax U17 was crowned winner of the Future Cup for the sixth time on Monday. The Amsterdam team defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals and then defeated Partizan FK in the final. Jinairo Johnson and Mylo van der Lans were the big stars on the final day. What stood out during the matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Partizan FK?
PHOTO: ALEX FESTEN
Van der Lans beacon of peace
In the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, Michael Lamey decided to do things a little differently than in the group stage. Captain Van der Lans, who normally plays as a central defender, played as a controlling midfielder. As a result, Jinairo Johnson moved back one line and played as a central defender. Van der Lans took on his role as a controlling midfielder effortlessly. As a central defender he already showed that he is good on the ball – look at his assists against Pachuca, for example – but he also excelled without the ball on the final day.
It was noticeable that the captain was constantly scanning and therefore knew exactly where the spaces on the field were. He was then able to get the ball in those spaces and direct the play. Defensively, he ensured that Ajax did not give away large spaces. He did this by constantly keeping an eye on where there were gaps and then closing them. The team from Amsterdam looked very stable defensively during the final day.
The fact that Ajax looked very stable defensively also had everything to do with covering. Van der Lans was also very important in this. Through his coverage, a central defender could also do that. This ensured that Ajax could put a lot of pressure and Paris Saint-Germain and Partizan could hardly play football in Ajax’s half. It is therefore significant that Ajax hardly conceded any chances on the final day. Only long shots caused danger at times.
Johnson makes history with trilogy
Even more so, the 2024 Future Cup became Johnson’s tournament. The midfielder and central defender trotted across the main field at De Toekomst over the weekend with his graceful long strides and thus captured the hearts of many Ajax supporters. The professional description of ball-handler does not do justice to the winner of the Noah Gesser Trophy – the prize for the top scorer of the Future Cup. Johnson’s goal in the final broke the spell for Ajax against the tough Serbs. Like a forgotten finisher, the man of the match pushed the ball into the far corner.
Of course he was important offensively with his goals, but he also led to danger from the Amsterdam team with his many possessions and rushes forward. The versatility of the strong Johnson earned him the well-deserved player of the tournament award. Never before has a player won everything there was to win at the Future Cup. Johnson writes history and will undoubtedly have made Ajax O18 coach Frank Peereboom think; if he hasn’t already done so.
Ajax finds the right formula on final day
On the first two days of the Future Cup, Ajax looked searching and defensively vulnerable. The group matches showed that the Amsterdam team regularly needed a half to find the right way to play, and then took the initiative in the second half. That was completely different on the final day. Thanks to Lamey’s conversions, Ajax had a grip on the opponent in both matches almost from minute one and rightly won the Future Cup for the sixth time.
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