Ajax beat Groningen in Volendam and reached the play-off final for a European place
On Thursday, 21 May 2026, Ajax took a crucial step toward entering European competitions by defeating FC Groningen 2:0 in the Eredivisie play-off semi-final. The match was played at the Kras Stadion in Volendam, not in Amsterdam, which gave the encounter an unusual context for a home match of the Amsterdam club. According to Ajax’s official announcement, Oscar García’s team advanced to the final with goals from Davy Klaassen in the first half and Jorthy Mokio after the break. Ajax thereby continued a season in which, after finishing fifth in the league phase, it still has to seek European confirmation through additional matches.
The 2:0 result was convincing enough for Ajax to avoid an uncertain finish and maintain control over a match that carried significant sporting and financial stakes. Groningen, the ninth-placed team in the regular part of the championship, arrived in Volendam hoping it could take advantage of the Amsterdam side’s inconsistent season, but according to the available statistical data from the match, it did not create enough pressure to seriously threaten the home team’s victory. Ajax, according to FotMob data, had 62 percent possession, 12 shots on goal and a significantly higher expected goals figure than its opponent. Groningen remained on five shots and a very modest attacking output, which explains why, after the second goal, the match mostly moved in the direction of Ajax control.
Klaassen opened the way, Mokio confirmed the victory
The first goal was scored by Davy Klaassen in the 24th minute. According to Ajax’s report and the statistical record of the match, the experienced midfielder scored with a header after an assist from Mike Godts, giving the Amsterdam team a relatively early result that allowed it to organise its game more calmly. Klaassen’s goal was also important because of its psychological effect: Ajax entered the play-offs after the end of a championship in which it had failed to secure direct European qualification, so the early lead reduced the pressure and opened space for a more rational performance.
The second goal came in the 57th minute, when Jorthy Mokio increased the lead to 2:0. The young player thereby confirmed Ajax’s advantage and steered the match toward a finish in which Groningen no longer had enough room for a comeback. According to FotMob data, Groningen had a goal ruled out for offside in the 68th minute, which was one of the rare moments in which the match could have taken on a different rhythm. Still, even after that situation, there was no more serious return by the visiting team.
Ajax preserved a clean sheet in the closing stages, which was especially important for the team because defensive problems had been discussed before the match. According to previews reported by NH Nieuws, coach Oscar García could not count on Josip Šutalo, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ko Itakura, because they were not ready for the play-off semi-final. Despite those absences, the home side remained stable against Groningen and did not allow the match to turn into the open battle that often accompanies play-offs.
Why Ajax played in Volendam
The special feature of this match was the location. Ajax was formally the home team, but the duel was not played at the Johan Cruijff Arena, rather at the Kras Stadion in Volendam. According to reports by Dutch media and earlier announcements related to the organisation of the match, the Amsterdam stadium was not available because of Harry Styles’s concert schedule. The Johan Cruijff Arena was reserved during that period for a series of major concerts, which meant Ajax had to look for an alternative solution for the play-off.
Kras Stadion, the home of FC Volendam, is significantly smaller than Ajax’s usual arena, so the change of venue also had logistical consequences. According to Soccerway data, the capacity of the stadium in Volendam is 6,984 seats, while the Johan Cruijff Arena is one of the largest Dutch stadiums. This means that the home character of the match was different from what it would have been in Amsterdam, although Ajax retained home-team status. In such circumstances, the result had additional value for the Amsterdam club because it was achieved outside its usual environment, in a high-pressure match and with limited spectator capacity.
The organisational context was additionally sensitive because of the issue of away supporters. According to an NL Times report before the encounter, FC Groningen supporters were eventually allowed to come to the away section of the Kras Stadion, after a ban had previously been discussed due to safety circumstances. Such circumstances show that the semi-final was not only a sporting challenge but also an organisational test for the clubs, local authorities and the stadium host.
The play-off as the last chance for Europe
Ajax’s victory gains its full significance only when placed in the context of the standings after 34 rounds of the Eredivisie. According to the official table published on Ajax’s website, PSV finished the regular part of the season in first place with 84 points, Feyenoord was second with 65 points, NEC third with 59, and FC Twente fourth with 58. Ajax finished fifth with 56 points, ahead of Utrecht, AZ, Heerenveen and Groningen. Such an outcome meant that the Amsterdam team had to fight for a European position through additional matches, instead of securing it directly through the league standings.
Groningen finished ninth in the regular part with 48 points, but through the play-off system it received an opportunity to fight for a European route. Such a format in Dutch football adds extra weight to the end of the season, because clubs that are not among the very top of the championship can still catch an international opportunity through the play-offs. For Groningen, the semi-final against Ajax was a chance to extend the season and continue a positive direction after a solid league performance, but the defeat in Volendam stopped that attempt.
For Ajax, on the other hand, the play-off was a necessity that reflects a demanding season. A club with great European prestige and high expectations failed to finish among the top four teams, so it had to take an additional route toward continental competition. Precisely for that reason, the victory against Groningen is not only a passage into the final, but also a temporary easing of pressure around a team that can end the season with European qualification or with further disappointment.
Statistics confirmed Ajax’s control
According to FotMob statistics, Ajax had a clear advantage over Groningen in the key indicators of play. Possession of 62 percent shows that the Amsterdam team dictated the rhythm for most of the encounter, while the shot ratio of 12 to 5 confirms that it created more finishing situations. The difference in expected goals is especially pronounced: according to the same source, Ajax had 1.83 xG, while Groningen had only 0.16. Such a figure suggests that the victory was not accidental, but the result of a greater number of higher-quality attacking situations.
Ajax also had more touches in the opponent’s penalty area, which is an additional indicator of territorial dominance. According to the same statistical source, the home team recorded 22 touches in the opposing penalty area, while Groningen had 12. Although statistics can never fully describe the course of a football match, in this case they follow the final impression well: Ajax was more concrete, more dangerous and more stable in the phases of play that decided the encounter.
The coaches made changes during the second half in order to maintain intensity and respond to the development of the match. After the second goal, Ajax could manage the rhythm more cautiously, while Groningen tried through substitutions to open additional attacking possibilities. According to the match record, Brynjólfur Willumsson and Mats Seuntjens received cards in the closing stages, but that did not change the final outcome nor bring Groningen back into result uncertainty.
The final against Utrecht as the last obstacle
Ajax will play against FC Utrecht in the play-off final. According to the official schedule published on Ajax’s website, the final match is scheduled for Sunday, 24 May 2026, at 18:00. After the victory over Groningen, Ajax stated on its official channels that Utrecht awaits it in the final, which means that the battle for a European place continues only three days after the semi-final duel.
Utrecht finished sixth in the regular part of the season, immediately behind Ajax, with 53 points. This announces a final between two teams that were very close in the league standings, but entered the finish with different pressures. Ajax carries greater expectations because of its name, history and European reputation, while Utrecht has the opportunity to achieve a result against a major opponent that would make the season particularly successful. Since the match is being played for European qualification, the difference between victory and defeat will be much greater than in an ordinary championship duel.
For Ajax, an important task will be the recovery of players and maintaining concentration. The semi-final against Groningen was decided without extra time, which is useful for the team in the short interval between matches. Still, the previously mentioned defensive absences and the density of the season’s finish remain elements that the coaching staff will have to manage carefully. With the victory, Ajax secured the right to a final attempt, but not the final objective.
Groningen ended the play-off without the final step
For Groningen, the defeat in Volendam means the end of the fight for a European place. Dick Lukkien’s team recorded 14 wins, six draws and 14 defeats in the regular part of the season, with a goal difference of 49:45, according to the table available on Ajax’s official website. Such a performance was enough for ninth place and the continuation of the season through the play-offs, but against Ajax there was not enough offensive quality for a surprise.
Ahead of the semi-final, Groningen could rely on the argument that in March, in a league encounter, it defeated Ajax 3:1. According to Soccerway data, that result was part of the head-to-head meetings in the season, while Ajax won 2:0 as the home team in December 2025. The semi-final in Volendam was therefore also the third important encounter between these clubs in a period shorter than six months, but this time the Amsterdam side controlled the most important moments.
Although Groningen failed to reach the final, its very presence in the play-offs shows that the club had a sufficiently stable season to remain among the teams fighting for an additional reward. However, the match against Ajax showed the limit of that ambition. Without a greater number of quality chances and with an early deficit, Groningen did not find a way to force its opponent into a nervous finish.
Ajax’s victory eased the pressure, but did not finish the job
The semi-final victory brings Ajax sporting stability in the short term, but it does not erase the broader context of the season. Finishing fifth in the Eredivisie for a club of such a profile means that one important objective has already been missed, and the play-off remains a repair exam. In that sense, the 2:0 result against Groningen should be read as a necessary and professionally completed job, not as final confirmation of a successful season.
On the other hand, the manner of victory may be important for confidence. Ajax took an early lead, increased the advantage in the second half, avoided conceding a goal and, according to the statistics, kept the match under control. In play-off matches, in which the season often comes down to a few details, such a performance carries particular weight. The team showed that it can handle pressure by neutralising the opponent’s attacking attempts and making use of its own key situations.
The final against Utrecht will therefore be the real test of Ajax’s end to the season. If it wins, the semi-final triumph against Groningen will be remembered as a necessary step toward the European goal. If it does not succeed, the match in Volendam will be only brief relief in a season that demanded more from Ajax. Until then, the team from Amsterdam can rely on the fact that in its first elimination exam it played maturely and effectively enough to maintain control over its own European ambitions.
Sources:
- Original data provided in the task – basic data about the match, competition, result and venue
- AFC Ajax – official announcement and match overview Ajax – FC Groningen, including scorers and information about qualification for the final (link)
- AFC Ajax – official schedule, results and table of the 2025/2026 season for Ajax and the Eredivisie (link)
- FotMob – statistical overview of the match Ajax – FC Groningen, scorers, xG, possession, shots and course of the encounter (link)
- Soccerway – data on the stadium, capacity and head-to-head matches between Ajax and Groningen (link)
- NH Nieuws – match preview and information about absences in Ajax’s defence before the play-off semi-final (link)
- AT5 – context of moving the match to Volendam because of the occupancy of the Johan Cruijff Arena (link)
- NL Times – information about the arrival of Groningen away supporters in Volendam and the safety context of the match (link)