Ajax were trying a different approach against AZ. On the face of it, John van 't Schip chose five defenders. That plan did not go well in the opening stages, with Ruben van Bommel actually putting the opening goal up on the scoreboard within ten minutes.
After that goal, Ajax took control of the game more and more, seeing chances to equalize in the first half courtesy of Kenneth Taylor, Kristian Hlynsson and Branco van den Boomen.
Things continued to go downhill in the second half. Once again it was Van Bommel who scored for AZ. In the closing stages, Brian Brobbey seemed to stir things up again, making it 2-1. Alas, the Ajax striker was offside when he scored.
AZ - Ajax 2-0 (1-0)
7. Van Bommel 1-0
67. Van Bommel 2-0
Ajax: Ramaj, Gaaei (36. Kaplan), Rensch, Šutalo, Hato, Sosa, Tahirović (64. Akpom), Van den Boomen (81. Mannsverk), Taylor, Hlynsson (81. Rijkhoff), Brobbey
