AFC Ajax failed to beat Excelsior once again. The Amsterdam side drew 2-2 on Saturday evening, extending their winless run against the Rotterdam club to two full seasons.
Manager Maurice Steijn's team had hoped to break the negative trend during the international break. Excelsior proved to be a difficult obstacle once more. Ajax took the lead twice through Julian Brandt and Tolu Arokodare, but the home side surrendered their advantage on both occasions. Excelsior scored through Lennard Hartjes and Aymen Sliti.
This result means Ajax remain in fourth place in the Eredivisie with fourteen points from seven matches. They are two points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven. The next opportunity for three points is on 10 October against NEC Nijmegen, who currently sit eleventh. The full Ajax squad will be available again after the internationals.
Ajax's recent form has been inconsistent. Following a 5-1 win over Willem II and a 5-1 away victory at Fortuna Sittard, they suffered a defeat to PSV and now this draw. The recent fixtures show a team still searching for consistency. Top scorer Julian Brandt has netted three times this season.
Steijn said afterwards that his team deserved more than a point. He pointed to the chances created and the two leads taken. The manager stated the squad must work hard in the coming weeks to stop dropping points in these types of matches. The focus is now entirely on preparing for the home game against NEC.
The report in full is at Voetbal International
