Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23' | Ajax | Substitution — Caio Henrique on, Owen Wijndal off | 0-0 | |
| 32' | Ajax | Goal — Julian Brandt (assist: Kasper Dolberg) | 1-0 | |
| 35' | Excelsior | Jan Plug | 1-0 | |
| 45+1' | Excelsior | Goal — Lennard Hartjes | 1-1 | |
| 61' | Ajax | Substitution — Viktor Tsygankov on, Oliver Valaker Edvardsen off | 1-1 | |
| 62' | Ajax | Substitution — Kasper Dolberg on, Tolu Arokodare off | 1-1 | |
| 62' | Excelsior | Goal — Aymen sliti (assist: Irakli Yegoian) | 1-2 | |
| 64' | Ajax | Goal — Tolu Arokodare (assist: Oscar Gloukh) | 2-2 | |
| 65' | Excelsior | Substitution — Eric da Silva Moreira on, Kasey Bos off | 2-2 | |
| 71' | Excelsior | Substitution — Ágúst Orri Thorsteinsson on, Ilano Silva Timas off | 2-2 | |
| 71' | Excelsior | Substitution — Aymen sliti on, Alireza Jahanbakhsh off | 2-2 | |
| 76' | Ajax | Substitution — Jorthy Mokio on, Sofyan Amrabat off | 2-2 | |
| 77' | Ajax | Substitution — Davy Klaassen on, Abdellah Ouazane off | 2-2 | |
| 85' | Ajax | Oscar Gloukh | 2-2 | |
| 85' | Excelsior | Irakli Yegoian | 2-2 | |
| 85' | Excelsior | Substitution — David Garden on, Mario Domínguez Franco off | 2-2 |
Ajax and Excelsior shared the points in an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Saturday, 19 September 2026, with both sides level at 1-1 come half-time. The home crowd would have expected more given their usual dominance in this fixture, but Excelsior refused to make it easy, matching Ajax punch for punch all afternoon and leaving with a deserved share of the spoils. Neither side could find the breakthrough goal that would have settled things, and the Eredivisie table will show another draw added to Ajax's season. For Excelsior, a point away from home against one of the league's traditional heavyweights will feel like a solid return, especially having come from behind at one stage. Ajax will be frustrated not to have closed it out, while Excelsior can take plenty of confidence from a display that showed they're capable of competing with the bigger clubs this term.
The Matchup
It finished 2-2 between Ajax and Excelsior at Johan Cruijff Arena, a scoreline that summed up a game short on clear separation between the two sides. Neither team could really take control of the ball for long, with Ajax holding 81% possession, close enough to an even split to explain why the game never settled into one side's favour. There were spells of pressure from both teams, but not enough to turn a share of the points into all three. Days like this are part of a long season, and how each side responds in their next fixture will say plenty about their form heading forward. Here is a closer look at how the two teams compared statistically.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
Ajax vs Excelsior Lineups
Looking Ahead
Ajax will already be turning their attention to what comes next. Their next test comes away at Groningen, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when Groningen vs Ajax going to play at 18 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.
Excelsior, meanwhile, have a quick chance to build on this result. They are next in action at home to Groningen, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: Excelsior vs Groningen going to play at 11 October 2026 in Eredivisie 2026-27.