Ajax manager John Heitinga believes his team’s game plan against Chelsea was on track until an early red card changed everything in their UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday night.
The Dutch side endured a tough night in London, falling 5–1 to a dominant Chelsea outfit. Blues boss Enzo Maresca made ten changes to the side that defeated Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, but his reshuffled squad showed no signs of weakness.
Ajax’s Kenneth Taylor was sent off within the opening 20 minutes, leaving the visitors struggling to contain the hosts. Marc Guiu opened the scoring for Chelsea before Moises Caicedo doubled the advantage. Wout Weghorst briefly gave Ajax hope with a goal, but Enzo Fernandez and Estevão Willian both converted penalties before halftime. Tyrique George added a fifth after the break to seal the emphatic win.
Reflecting on the defeat, Heitinga admitted the red card derailed their momentum but praised his players’ effort.
“The game plan was working and I think it was hard for them to break the lines. We even had one offensive transition with Mika Godts,” Heitinga told reporters. “Then the red card happened, and I think they scored two goals from the penalty spot, then two goals were deflected. I cannot blame the players; they were working really hard.”
Despite the heavy loss, Heitinga acknowledged Chelsea’s quality, describing them as one of the “better teams” in this season’s Champions League.
Comments