Ajax hosted Feyenoord on Sunday afternoon in a massive De Klassieker that was bound to prove decisive in the Eredivisie title race with the home side entering the match top of the table but just two points above second-place PSV. Feyenoord sat third, eight points back of Ajax, but a win at Johan Cruyff Arena would put the Rotterdam-based club right back in it.
Ajax experienced a foreboding start when a pyrotechnics display accidentally set fire to the club's own banners. The inferno caused a delay, but no injuries have been reported.
Holland. 20.03.2022
Ajax - Feyenoord.Ajax fans set fire their own banners by accident after the pyro show. pic.twitter.com/ByWI8Mhju2— HooligansTV (@hooligans_tv) March 20, 2022
Then, only eight minutes in, 22-year-old Colombian Luis Sinisterra gave Feyenoord the lead with his 10th league goal of the season. The winger is going to be the subject of a lot of transfer speculation this summer with Feyenoord reportedly demanding around $22 million for his services.
Luis Sinisterra no para y ahora es Ajax quien lo sufre. Por primera vez llega a doble dígito en goles [10] en una temporada de Eredivisie.pic.twitter.com/SKlkTehwZE
— Colombia Analytics (@Colanalytics) March 20, 2022
Ajax equalized on 24 minutes through Sébastien Haller. It's the 20th league goal of the striker's campaign (33 across all competitions), and he's reportedly wanted by Inter Milan, but Ajax is demanding almost $40 million after signing him for $25 million from West Ham.
GOOOOOLLLL | Sebastien Haller Ajax'a 1-1'lik eşitliği getirdi. #ajafey pic.twitter.com/DHBZbsTYuV
— Hollanda Ligl #Eredivisie (@hollandaligleri) March 20, 2022
But Feyenoord restored its lead just four minutes later after a poor back-pass from Ajax's Steven Berghuis, who spent five seasons with De Stadionclub. 24-year-old attacking midfielder Guus Til provided the finish for his 14th in a comeback season that's seen him linked with a summer move to Everton or West Ham.
The visitors deserved their first-half advantage, but the longer the second went on, the more it felt like an Ajax equalizer was forthcoming. They had to wait until the 78th minute, but Dušan Tadić finally provided the moment of magic with a brilliant free kick from an obscene angle.
Oh ce coup franc de Dušan Tadić pic.twitter.com/7irO0jFY9W
— Fudbalski Hram (@Fudbalski_Hram) March 20, 2022
Feyenoord was on tilt, and 22-year-old Brazilian winger Antony provided the game-winner in the 86th minute before hitting the Messi Clásico celebration.
Antony meteu gol, tirou a camisa e mostrou pra torcida. Mlk tá voando!
— Somos São Paulinos (@somosaopaulinos) March 20, 2022
Antony was booked for taking his shirt off, and then he was booked again and sent off for time wasting in the 94th minute.
After that crushing Champions League elimination to Benfica, this was a massive comeback for Ajax's season. The club maintains its lead at the top of the Eredivisie with seven matches to go, and there's still a KNVB Cup final to play against PSV on April 17.
