Sparta vs Ajax – News and Probable Lineups

After an exhilarating win in the Conference League against Atalanta, Ajax looks to continue their good form in the Eredivisie as they face Sparta Rotterdam in a gameweek 10 clash at Het Kasteel this Sunday.

De Joden made a stirring comeback, scoring two late goals, including one in stoppage time, to secure the win against the Italian side, and they will aim for a third straight victory against their defensively vulnerable Rotterdam opponents.

Match overview

Tolu Arokodare emerged as the standout player as Ajax clinched victory in dramatic fashion against Maurizio Sarri’s Ajax on Thursday night, securing a crucial yet hard-fought result that appeared destined for a goalless conclusion.

The Nigerian forward assisted Abdellah Ouazane shortly after his dramatic 87th-minute goal, which prevented Ajax from starting their Conference League journey with two disappointing results.

Having made a commendable entry into the Eredivisie, the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee is becoming a key figure for Ajax, and they will rely on his contributions as they travel to face Sparta Rotterdam this weekend.

Ajax’s form has been inconsistent following the international break, with three matches across all competitions yielding no victories, including a 2-1 defeat to Hajduk Split in their Conference League opener.

However, their emphatic 5-2 victory over Groningen in the previous league fixture has helped them stay close to the top three teams in the league, especially as PSV Eindhoven suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to ADO Den Haag.

Currently, they find themselves just a point behind PSV, who are chasing their fourth consecutive title, while PSV is set to face league leaders Feyenoord this weekend. Michel will be hoping his team can take advantage of any slip-ups from their rivals.

Sparta will strive to disrupt the plans of the Eredivisie giants, having achieved commendable outcomes in their recent home fixtures against Ajax.

De Kasteelheren managed to secure draws of 3-3 and 2-2 in two of the last three meetings at Het Kasteel, with the other encounter resulting in a 2-0 win for the away side.

Although they haven’t triumphed over the Sons of the Gods since 2009, Sparta has managed to hold their illustrious opponents to draws in three of their past five encounters after enduring a streak of 14 consecutive losses to them.

As such, Rogier Meijer will be aiming for a positive result to mark a third successful outcome against Ajax in the last four years, as they come into this matchup in good spirits after gathering four points from their past two matches.

However, the Rotterdam side has shown defensive weaknesses, conceding five goals over their last two fixtures against Go Ahead Eagles (3-3) and a 3-2 victory over Willem II, which indicates a tendency to rely on outscoring opponents.

Having previously conceded four goals in back-to-back losses against PSV (4-1) and Heerenveen, Sparta’s approach may be ill-advised if Meijer opts for an aggressive strategy against Ajax.

Team News

Heading into Sunday’s match, Shunsuke Mito is the sole absentee for Sparta, leaving Mejier with a squad largely unscathed by injuries.

While Mito is typically impactful, Milan Zonneveld has been tasked with stepping up for the Castle Lords, as he remains the only player to score more than two goals; both Lushendry Martes and Marvin Young have scored twice.

Ajax’s Julian Brandt leads the scoring charts with six goals, two more than Thursday’s hero Arokodare, who has also provided one assist, contributing to five total goal involvements in the Dutch league.

The hosts can also look to Davy Klaassen and Jorthy Mokio for crucial contributions, as both have netted three goals and provided an assist, while Oscar Gloukh has notched four assists along with one goal.

Unfortunately for Ajax, Kasper Dolberg is sidelined due to a severe knee injury sustained during the international break in Denmark training, and he is accompanied on the injury list by Daly Blind (back), Steven Berghuis, Oliver Edvardsen, Caio Henrique, and Simon Adingra.

Sparta Rotterdam probable starting XI:

Brewer; Martes, Young, Verschuren, Martins Indi, Kuipers; Van Cruijsen, Toornstra, Hatenboer, Babadi; Zoonveld

Ajax probable starting XI:

Ter Stegen; Rosa, Kehrer, Baas, Wijndal; Klaassen, Amrabat; Tsygankov, Brandt, Gloukh; Arokodare

Sparta’s recent home performances against Ajax should instill confidence, yet conceding 13 goals in their last four matches emphasizes the risk of adopting an open style of play against the formidable Amsterdam team.

While the Castle Lords possess a threat at Het Kasteel, their defensive record raises concerns about their ability to contain Ajax’s potent attackers.

With Arokodare becoming increasingly influential and Brandt hitting form, Ajax should exploit the hosts’ defensive weaknesses to secure a third consecutive win across all competitions and a second league victory in a row.