Sunday, March 6, 2022 at 6:40 PM• Chris Meijer • Last update: 18:54

Ajax narrowly escaped losing points against RKC Waalwijk. The team of coach Erik ten Hag took the lead in the first half through two hits from Sébastien Haller, but relinquished that margin in the first phase after the break and then headed for a draw. An unnecessary sliding by Luuk Wouters gave Ajax a penalty in the last minute, which was used by Dusan Tadic. With the 3-2 victory, the team from Amsterdam takes the lead again from PSV; RKC occupies fourteenth place in the Eredivisie.

Noussair Mazraoui and Jurriën Timber were not present at Ajax, their places were taken by Perr Schuurs and Devyne Rensch. RKC had to do without trainer Joseph Oosting, Etienne Vaessen, Melle Meulensteen and Alexander Büttner in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. The proportions were clear from the first whistle: Ajax had a firm grip on the initiative and quickly created opportunities via Rensch, Haller, Tadic and Daley Blind. RKC, however, came through the first half without damage and then even showed up twice in the Ajax penalty area.

A touched shot by Jens Odgaard sailed wide, but goalkeeper André Onana had to come into action shortly afterwards with a feline save after a header from Michiel Kramer. Just when RKC showed itself a little more, Ajax took the lead. Ryan Gravenberch set Antony free in the penalty area with a good pass. The Brazilian attacker in turn found Haller in the goal mouth, who had the ball in front of an empty goal before shooting. Four minutes later it happened again. Haller repaired the loss of the ball himself and made sure that Steven Berghuis gained possession of the ball with a sliding tackle. The striker then got the ball back, checked with his chest and hit the far corner.

The fact that Ajax did not progress further at RKC in the first half was mainly due to Issam El Maach. The goalkeeper who played for Ajax between 2017 and 2020 saved Dusan Tadic and Schuurs with great opportunities. Shortly after the break, however, the third goal of the afternoon fell on the other side. It was completely open to Ajax, so that Odgaard Kramer could offer a free passage to Onana. Kramer stayed ahead of the chasing Edson Álvarez and finished extremely cool. Antony failed to shoot Ajax on a wider margin shortly afterwards, after which RKC completed its comeback with 57 minutes on the clock.

† Turning in the second half @RKCWAALWIJK It’s all over, thanks to goals from Michiel Kramer and Richard van der Venne it is 2-2! † † ESPN2 #?? #AJARKC pic.twitter.com/aHco4idvVS

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 6, 2022

After a long ball around Ajax’s penalty area, Odgaard took possession of the ball, kept an overview and placed the ball excellently wide, so that the steamed Richard van der Venne had the opportunity to shoot and placed control in the bottom left corner behind Onana. Ajax had to start again and slowly but surely increased the pressure. El Maach saved a shot by Antony, while a shot by Álvarez was blocked. Despite the dominance, Ajax was once again quite startled when Van der Venne appeared free in the penalty area. However, the RKC midfielder could not control the ball.

The last twenty minutes it was one-way traffic towards El Maach’s goal: a cross by substitute Nicolás Tagliafico just missed Mohammed Kudus, who also came in, Haller hit the post with a header and Tadic’s shot just went the wrong way. from the pole. A stupid sliding by Luuk Wouters finally brought Ajax the redemption. The defender made an apparently unnecessary sliding in the absolute final phase and brought Antony down within the penalty area. Referee Dennis Higler put the ball on the spot, allowing Tadic to give Ajax a hard-fought victory from eleven meters.

An away match against SC Cambuur awaits Ajax next Friday, before the return against Benfica in the eighth final of the Champions League on Tuesday 15 March. In Leeuwarden, Ten Hag cannot have Lisandro Martínez: he received his fifth yellow card of the season against RKC and is therefore suspended next week.