Ajax vs Sparta Rotterdam

Ajax made a statement in new boss Óscar García's first match in charge, dismantling Sparta Rotterdam 4-0 at the Johan Cruyff Arena. A Joshua Kitolano own goal got things rolling before Steven Berghuis took centre stage to put the hosts firmly in control before half-time. Kitolano turned a Berghuis free kick into his own net on 19 minutes, and the veteran midfielder doubled the lead himself in the 32nd minute with a tidy close-range finish. Sparta briefly threatened through Tobias Lauritsen, who headed wide early on, but rarely troubled the Ajax defence. The floodgates reopened in the second half. Davy Klaassen latched onto a brilliant Mika Godts through ball to make it three on 73 minutes, and Godts got on the scoresheet himself just three minutes later with a fine solo effort. The emphatic win lifts Ajax to 47 points and eases the pressure after a turbulent spell that saw Fred Grim sacked last week. For Sparta, a sixth game without a win leaves them stuck in eighth on 38 points.