Season opener yields win but raises questions about control
Ajax began the new VriendenLoterij Eredivisie campaign with a 0-2 victory away at PEC Zwolle, but the performance prompted debate over how composed the team is when matches tilt in their favour. The goals came late: Jorthy Mokio in the 76th minute and Julian Brandt in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
On television analysis, former player and commentator Kenneth Perez expressed surprise at the lack of calm in possession despite Ajax's off-season recruitment. Perez argued the team did not take advantage of a period when the opposition had fewer players after an opponent's red card, saying that a club of Ajax’s stature should be able to control the game under those circumstances.
"When you have the ball then, you are playing eleven against nine," Perez said. "I find it astonishing that, as Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV, you cannot basically just play one big rondo with Zwolle."
Perez highlighted two recurring themes:
- the expectation that a side with many new signings and "above-average" personnel should exert calmer possession football;
- concern about whether late goals that exploit transitional moments reflect the team’s true quality.
Those concerns came into focus late in the match. Ajax did not open the scoring until the 76th minute and only sealed the result deep into stoppage time. The sequence of events and Perez’s critique will feed into conversations among supporters and club analysts about cohesion and how quickly new arrivals are settling into the system.
What the result means for Ajax locally
For Ajax fans in the region, the win delivers the three points that start the season on a positive note, but the manner of the victory tempers enthusiasm. The performance invites questions about:
- how rapidly the squad can convert individual quality into consistent team control;
- whether tactical adjustments are needed to manage games where the opposing side is reduced in numbers;
- the extent to which late goals will be a pattern rather than an exception.
Below is a brief match summary:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Final score | PEC Zwolle 0 – Ajax 2 |
| Goals | Jorthy Mokio (76′), Julian Brandt (90+5′) |
As the Eredivisie season progresses, supporters will watch whether Ajax can translate individual talent and new signings into the kind of possession dominance Perez describes as essential for the country’s top clubs. The club’s next fixtures and any tactical tweaks will be scrutinised closely by fans and pundits alike.
