Ajax 0-0 Union Berlin: Ajax escaped defeat against Union Berlin on Thursday. The team from Amsterdam did not make the best impression in the first leg in the Europa League, but saw a line through the only German goal of the evening thanks to the VAR.
After victories over Excelsior, SC Cambuur, FC Twente and RKC Waalwijk, the next test was waiting for Heitinga and co. Union Berlin is the number two in the Bundesliga and traveled to Amsterdam with confidence. The fact that the Germans are tough opponents was apparent in the first half. Ajax, with Calvin Bassey and Steven Bergwijn in the starting line-up, hardly created any danger and did not attempt a single goal. Union did that through Morten Thorsby and Jérôme Roussillon, among others, but did not score.
Heitinga saw that his plan was not working and decided at half time to prepare Brian Brobbey for a substitution. The striker came into the team for Owen Wijndal, which meant that the team from Amsterdam got a different line-up. Tadic moved to the right flank and Mohammed Kudus moved to the number 10 position. It immediately provided an opportunity for Brobbey, who went for the goal after a deep pass from Tadic. Keeper Frederik Rønnow made the save.
The VAR drama
After the moment with Brobbey, it was Union that again had the best chances. Keeper Gerónimo Rulli saved on a free kick by Josip Juranovic. Who was allowed to score after a loss of the ball and a foul by Devyne Rensch. The Spanish goalkeeper also had an answer to a header from Thorsby, but had no chance when the former SC Heerenveen midfielder hit from the left after a cross. However, Ajax was saved by the VAR, which found that the Norwegian touched the ball with his arm when taking it. That’s how it remained 0-0 in Amsterdam.
Ajax escaped the opening goal, but the 1-0 didn’t come any closer after that. Heitinga then decided to intervene again and brought Davy Klaassen for Steven Bergwijn. As a result, Kudus went to the right flank again. Tadic played from the left and Klaassen was behind striker Brobbey. It resulted in a moment of threat via Brobbey and Kudus, but both failed to make a shot, after which the visitors cleared the ball. In extra time, Kudus had another opportunity, but he came across Rønnow and turned out to have been offside for that. In the end it remained 0-0 in the Johan Cruijff Arena. So that the cards are shuffled the same in Berlin next week.
