Ajax 1-2 Utrecht result, stats and report

Ajax put Sion to the sword with a dominant 5-3 victory in the UEFA Europa Conference League, with Tolu Arokodare netting twice and Winsley Boteli completing a hat-trick for the Swiss side in a match that had everything except defensive competence.

PSV Eindhoven were utterly ruthless at Utrecht, winning 6-1 in a performance that exposed everything wrong with the home side. This was not a football match. It was a statement.

Utrecht threw away a three-goal lead as GO Ahead Eagles came from behind to snatch a 3-3 draw in the Eredivisie, with Artem Stepanov converting a stoppage-time penalty to complete a stunning comeback.

Ajax were ruthless and efficient in Velsen, putting four past Telstar without reply. Davy Klaassen got the opener, Steven Berghuis and Tolu Arokodare added to the tally in a dominant second half, and substitute Marcos Leonardo wrapped it up late.

Feyenoord host Utrecht at De Kuip on Sunday knowing their fortress has developed some unexpected cracks, while a Utrecht side yet to win on the road this season arrive carrying defensive problems that make them dangerous company for the wrong reasons.

Ajax have looked like a different team depending on the venue this season, and Excelsior arrive at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday carrying their best away form in months. The structural questions surrounding Ajax at home make this a more interesting fixture than the table suggests.

Ajax carry a puzzling split personality into this Tuesday fixture, dominant away from home but brittle at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Willem II arrive with zero points, zero clean sheets, and a structural problem that looks very much like a coaching issue.