Swinging Ajax wins partly thanks to fantastic goal Ryan Gravenberch

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 10:05 PM• Mart van Mourik • Last update: 22:09

Ajax booked a convincing practice win against Leeds United on Wednesday evening. In the Johan Cruijff ArenA, the team from Amsterdam already enjoyed a large lead at half-time, which was no longer endangered in the second half: 4-0. The best goal of the evening came from Ryan Gravenberch’s foot, who hit from about 25 meters. Earlier in the day, a young Ajax team also beat the Premier League club (3-1) at De Toekomst sports park, which also brought in predominantly young players.

Trainer Erik ten Hag chose to change his starting eleven in three places compared to the practice match against RB Leipzig (1-1). Remko Pasveer got the chance to show himself under the bar, while Perr Schuurs was preferred over Jurriën Timber in the center right back. Furthermore, Nicolás Tagliafico was missing, according to Football International due to a minor injury, and remarkably enough, Devyne Rensch was not part of the match selection. In midfield, Kenneth Taylor could count on a starting spot, as Daley Blind was pushed back a line. Pascal Struijk was in the starting line-up at Leeds; Crysencio Summerville had to settle for a place on the bench

Ajax started the meeting with Leeds energetically, which already faced a 1-0 deficit within two minutes of playing. Luke Ayling did not take into account the chasing Davy Klaassen, who put the center defender on the edge of the sixteen of the ball. It was then a breeze for the midfielder to score the opening goal: 1-0. After the opening goal, the home team maintained the dominance of the field, and the attacking intentions led to doubling the lead after half an hour of play.

Schuurs steamed up through the axis of the field and sought the combination with Dusan Tadic. The left winger on duty gave the ball to Schuurs, who seemed to play the ball too far ahead, but corrected his somewhat wild assumption with a nice lob over goalkeeper Ilan Meslier: 2-0. The Ajax players were certainly not satisfied with that, because the search for another hit was continued almost immediately.

On the stroke of half-time Taylor played the ball more than 25 meters away from the enemy goal in the feet of Gravenberch, who did not hesitate for a moment and played devastatingly: the ball disappeared into the bottom right corner: 3-0. In the second half, Ten Hag overthrew his team and Leeds came into the picture a little more. Nevertheless, Ajax went one step further in the 85th minute. Substitute Danilo Pereira got the ball at his feet on the edge of the sixteen, after which he took a strike with the inside right and hit a goal in the bottom left corner: 4-0.