Eredivisie leaders Ajax preserved their 9-point cushion at the summit of the table with a dramatic second-half turnaround away to 16th-placed Willem II.
Despite PSV’s emphatic 5-0 win over Almere City on Saturday, the Amsterdam giants responded with three points of their own to maintain breathing space with just five games left in the campaign.
Manager Francesco Farioli welcomed back skipper Jordan Henderson, right-back Anton Gaaei, and forward Brian Brobbey to his starting lineup, hoping to steer Ajax toward a historic 37th league crown.
The contrast between both sides could not have been starker, Ajax, the Eredivisie’s in-form team in 2025, were facing a Willem II side that had collected just two points since the start of the year.
Mindful of the early goal conceded against NAC Breda in their last outing, Farioli sent his team out with clear instructions to dominate from kickoff.
That attacking intent yielded early chances and saw Davy Klaassen brought down twice in the opening half-hour, both times sparking penalty claims that were waved away.
To the surprise of many, Willem II struck first. Against the run of play, Jeremy Bokila found Emilio Kehrer, who rifled the ball past Matheus in the 41st minute to give the struggling hosts an unexpected lead.
With the stakes high, Ajax turned up the pressure in the second half but found themselves frustrated in the final third — just 20% of their 44 crosses found an Ajax player.
Brobbey once again struggled to make an impact, and Farioli responded with a double change: Steven Berghuis and Wout Weghorst came on for Brobbey and Bertrand Traore.
Intent on chasing the win, Farioli made another bold switch by withdrawing defender Jorrel Hato and introducing winger Oliver Edvardsen. Midfielder Kenneth Taylor was tasked with shoring up the left flank defensively.
The substitution paid dividends almost instantly, as Edvardsen leveled five minutes after coming on, finishing neatly from a Berghuis delivery.
Wout Weghorst completed the comeback in the 78th minute, coolly slotting home to give Ajax their first lead of the match. It was their 21st goal from a substitute this season, setting a new Eredivisie record.
There was late drama as Kian Fitz-Jim and Kehrer tangled inside the Ajax box during stoppage time, but referee Marc Nagtegaal and VAR Alex Bos both ruled against awarding a penalty.
Ajax’s dominance was evident in the final stats: 29 shots, 11 corners, and 69 touches in the opposition area.
The win marks their 23rd of the season, keeping them firmly in control of the title race while Willem II remain winless in 2025.
