Ajax suffers blaming defeat in Riga and can even miss out in theory

NOS Football•Today, 22:55

Ajax suffered a blaming defeat in the Europa League against RFS, the reigning champion of Latvia: 1-0. Adam Markhiev scored the winning goal in the 78th minute.

Due to the third defeat in seven matches, Ajax remains on ten points. As a result, the Amsterdammers are not even entirely sure of a place in the interim round, although crazy things have to happen in the final round. Galatasaray is the last opponent next week. Direct placement for the eighth finals is no longer possible. Ajax should have won in Latvia for that.

It was a historic victory for RFS. Never won the payments in this phase of a European tournament. For Ajax it was a historic downfall.

In the absence of Devyne Rensch left for AS Roma and the suspended Jorrel Hato Coach Francesco Faroli chose a rear -guard with Anton Gaaei, Josip Sutalo, Daniele Rugani and Youri Baas as a left back. Brian Brobbey preferred Wout Weghorst during rush hour.

The game was played in the Daugava stadium in the Latvian capital Riga, because its own stadium is too small for European football. More than two thousand Ajax fans had made the trip to the distant Latvia and provided a full and noisy branch.

Despite the inspiring presence of those fans, it was very skinny that Ajax showed on the bad field in the Latvian cold. The game was very sloppy with a lot of unnecessary ball loss. The first achievement was for Kenneth Taylor, who shot well over the goal of the Cameroonian keeper Fabrice Ondoa.

On the stroke of halftime, the biggest chance of the first half was not to note. Brobbey held the ball well, put aside and offered Kian Fitz-Jim a chance. The midfielder shot a little uncontrolled.

Just after the break, Fitz-Jim got another chance. The midfielder got the ball from Mika Godts and this time shoved in, but Godts was closed because of offside. Moments later, a header from Sutalo was taken off the line by RFS attacker Janis Ikaunieks.

After an hour, Brobbey was repaid at Ajax by Weghorst and Gaaei made way for Steven Berghuis. The latter shot next to and a header from Weghorst fell straight into the hands of ONDOA.

It was waiting for that one Ajax goal, but suddenly there was a chance for the opponent. Fitz-Jim just handed in the ball and Markhiev passed Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer with a distance slider.

Fitz-Jim could have made up for his mistake somewhat, but shot up close in the 87th minute. The Amsterdammers received a strermining whistle concert after the fans who were traveled with the accompanying fans.