AFC Ajax began a new era under interim manager Óscar García in emphatic fashion on Saturday, thrashing Sparta Rotterdam 4-0 to mark the Spaniard’s first game in charge with a convincing victory.
The 52-year-old former FC Barcelona forward stepped in as interim boss after Fred Grim was dismissed last Sunday, and he could hardly have asked for a better start.
Ajax were forced into a few changes before kick-off. Suspended striker Wout Weghorst was unavailable, while Kasper Dolberg began the match on the bench due to stomach problems.
That opened the door for youngster Don-Angelo Konadu to lead the line, supported by Steven Berghuis on the right flank. In defence, former Arsenal F.C. defender Takehiro Tomiyasu made his first competitive start since May 19, 2024.
With part of the stadium closed following a sanction from the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), Sparta nearly stunned the hosts early on.
Norwegian striker Tobias Lauritsen met a cross with a header, but his effort drifted just wide of the post guarded by Maarten Paes.
Ajax gradually settled into the game and began to dominate possession. Berghuis was at the heart of the attack and nearly broke the deadlock with a low effort that slid narrowly past the goal of Joël Drommel.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 19th minute. Berghuis whipped in a dangerous free kick that took a deflection off Joshua Kitolano and ended up in the Sparta net, handing Ajax the lead.
However, García’s afternoon was briefly disrupted when midfielder Youri Regeer appeared to suffer a serious hamstring problem. The 22-year-old had to be helped off the pitch before Jorthy Mokio came on as his replacement.
Tomiyasu soon made his presence felt going forward. The Japanese defender surged into attack and created the opportunity for Berghuis to double Ajax’s advantage, with the winger firing home from close range to make it 2-0.
Konadu had a golden chance to put the result beyond doubt shortly afterwards, but the young striker somehow missed an open goal.
Ajax eventually extended their lead late in the match. Mika Godts launched captain Davy Klaassen through on goal, and the experienced midfielder calmly slotted past Drommel to make it 3-0.
Godts then capped an impressive display by scoring the fourth himself in the 76th minute. The winger beat Shurandy Sambo in a one-on-one situation before finishing neatly into the bottom corner.
Ajax comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest to secure a commanding 4-0 victory, giving García the biggest winning margin by a debuting Ajax manager since 2001.
The result also ended the club’s winless run since February 14 and provides momentum ahead of next week’s heated Klassieker clash with Feyenoord.
