League leaders Ajax suffered a humiliating defeat on Sunday as they were thrashed 4-0 by FC Utrecht in a stunning display at the Galgenwaard Stadium.
Former Ajax striker, Sébastien Haller and Miguel Rodríguez were the stars of the show, helping the home side to a historic win.
Before this, Ajax’s last Eredivisie defeat dated back to December 8, away to AZ. Since then, Francesco Farioli’s side had put together a dominant run, winning 13 of their next 14 matches.
Early signs against Utrecht suggested more of the same, as the visitors took control from the kickoff and nearly scored when a combination of Siebe Horemans and Brian Brobbey sent the ball ricocheting off both the post and the crossbar after a cross from Jorrel Hato.
Despite limited chances, Ajax remained in control until the unexpected happened. Against the run of play, it was Haller, of all people, who broke the deadlock, finishing off a sharp delivery from Horemans.
Out of respect for his former club, the Ivorian striker chose not to celebrate, but his goal gave Utrecht the platform they needed. Ron Jans’ side tightened their defense and effectively shut down Ajax’s attack, which lacked cutting edge.
Things unraveled quickly for Ajax after the break. Rodríguez’s effort was confirmed to have crossed the line, doubling Utrecht’s lead.
Frustration mounted for the Amsterdam side, with Brobbey picking up a yellow card. Though Wout Weghorst was brought on around the hour mark, the usual impact from the veteran striker was absent. Instead, Rodríguez stole the spotlight again, scoring a beautiful third goal.
Tensions flared late on when Traoré avoided a red card after trying to kick the ball out of goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas’ hands, but it didn’t spoil the party in Utrecht.
The crowd erupted when Paxten Aaronson capped off the night with a fourth goal, sealing FC Utrecht’s largest-ever home victory over Ajax.
The defeat marks a major setback for Ajax, as PSV now has the chance to close the gap at the top to just six points and with a superior goal difference, the title race could be blown wide open.
