Ajax’s shaky start to the Eredivisie season continued on Sunday as they dropped points for the second time in four matches, held to a 1-1 draw by newly promoted FC Volendam.
John Heitinga’s men had also stumbled against Go Ahead Eagles earlier in the campaign, raising fresh concerns about consistency.
The game in Volendam swung open in the 16th minute when Henk Veerman punished a lapse from Ko Itakura, latching onto the defender’s poor touch and rifling in a fine finish for the hosts.
Ajax, who had shown similar fragility in their narrow wins over Heracles Almelo and Telstar, struggled to respond with urgency.
Heitinga, satisfied with last week’s 2-0 victory over Heracles, kept changes to a minimum. Itakura returned at centre-back, while Lucas Rosa was given the nod at right-back ahead of Anton Gaaei.
Davy Klaassen, Josip Sutalo, and Mika Godts began on the bench, the latter two only just back from injuries.
Ajax started brightly as Steven Berghuis was denied by Kayne van Oevelen and Raul Moro sent an effort wide, but the early promise faded after Veerman’s strike.
Though Kenneth Taylor and Itakura both wasted promising opportunities, and Taylor even had a goal ruled out for offside against Moro, the visitors’ attacking play remained flat.
Oscar Gloukh, deployed on the left wing rather than in midfield, looked uncomfortable defensively and was replaced at halftime by Oliver Edvardsen.
The switch made little impact at first, but Ajax finally drew level in the 61st minute when Itakura atoned for his earlier error, heading in the equaliser.
Chasing a winner, Heitinga threw on Klaassen, Sutalo, and Godts in the final half hour. Yet despite their dominance in possession, Ajax rarely looked capable of breaking Volendam down again.
The hosts held firm, preserving their unbeaten start to life in the top flight after four matches.
