AFC Ajax played an exciting match against FC Utrecht, where goalkeeper Paes played a crucial role. After 120 minutes, the score was 1-1, and the decision came down to penalties. Paes, the 28-year-old keeper, saved the first penalty from Sébastien Haller and the last from Souffian El Karouani, making him the second Ajax goalkeeper to stop at least two penalties in one shootout this century. Remko Pasveer had previously achieved this in August 2024 by saving five against Panathinaikos.

During regular time, Paes faced four shots from FC Utrecht, saving three of them. His passing accuracy was also notable; 29 of his 38 passes reached a teammate, resulting in a 76.3 percent success rate. This is a strong performance, especially compared to his earlier matches against sc Heerenveen and PEC Zwolle, where his passing accuracy was 82.5 and 78.1 percent, respectively.

In the match against NEC on February 21, Paes had more successful long passes than against FC Utrecht, completing eleven successful passes. He found Wout Weghorst three times with his passes, as did Maher Carrizo. However, Mika Godts was even more effective, with four successful passes to Weghorst.

Paes's performances are a significant factor in AFC Ajax's success in the league. His ability to save penalties and strong passing make him a valuable player for the team. The club hopes he can maintain this form in the upcoming matches as they strive for the top of the Eredivisie.

With the next match on the horizon, AFC Ajax will draw confidence from their goalkeeper's strong performances. Fans are looking forward to more exciting moments and hopefully more victories in the league.