Ajax Hopes Shaken After 99th-Minute Blow In Groningen Thriller

Ajax Stunned by Groningen’s Last-Gasp Equalizer

We’re used to the Dutch top flight delivering drama, but this one? It packs a punch. Ajax looked set to keep their Eredivisie title chase alive, only for FC Groningen to tear up the script in the dying seconds. The Amsterdam giants, who had the finish line in sight, watched their hopes flicker as the clock ticked well beyond the usual 90 minutes—99, to be exact.

The night started brightly for Ajax. With energy in their legs, they pressed for an opener and finally broke through in the 27th minute. Anton Gaaei, not always the headline-maker, found himself in just the right spot. After connecting with Brian Brobbey’s clever through ball, Gaaei squeezed off a shot from a tricky, tight angle. The stadium quieted as the ball zipped in—Ajax up, nerves soothed. The squad looked in control, pushing for a second but missing that clinical final touch.

After halftime, though, Groningen shifted the mood. They didn’t just park the bus. Thom van Bergen rose in the box and headed home a cross, leveling things up seven minutes into the second half. Ajax’s defense seemed almost surprised, perhaps lulled by their earlier dominance. Seconds lingered after, but Groningen’s bench could feel the momentum swing in their favor.

With the Title on the Line, Ajax’s Fate Grows Uncertain

Manager Francesco Farioli sensed the stakes. He shuffled his deck, sending on Wout Weghorst, a striker with a knack for big goals. It worked—sort of. In the 68th minute, Steven Berghuis fired in a pinpoint cross and Weghorst thumped it past the keeper. The away section erupted, Ajax back in front and looking poised to escape with all three points. They just needed to see it out.

But Eredivisie matches love a little chaos. The late minutes turned chippy, frantic, with Groningen desperate to salvage something. Tension boiled over when Valente lunged in with a reckless tackle, earning himself a straight red. Down to ten men, Groningen might have been expected to buckle. They refused. Deep into added time, with Ajax fans urging the ref to blow for full-time, Groningen earned a free-kick. All eyes went to Blokzijl, who soared highest and powered a header into the net. Ninety-nine minutes on the clock—bedlam in the stands. Ajax players dropped to their knees, stunned and gutted.

The fallout was instant. With PSV winning earlier in the weekend, Ajax slipped to second, a single point behind as the race enters its last lap. They’ve got just one shot left, facing FC Twente, and need help from elsewhere if they’re to snatch the championship back at the final whistle. Farioli tried to rally his troops after the game: “It’s not over yet. We’ve got one more match to play: let’s go!” His players looked less convinced.

Only one round remains. The margins have never been finer, and after a night like this in Groningen, Ajax’s quest for silverware hangs by a thread.