Preview: Ajax vs. Telstar - prediction, team news, lineups

Telstar’s reward for returning to the Eredivisie after a 47-year absence is a gameweek one trip to last season’s runners-up Ajax at Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday.

De Godenzonen suffered final-day heartache in the 2024-25 season, finishing one point behind the eventual champions PSV, and they start this term against last year’s second-tier playoff winners under new management.

Match preview

While Ajax were busy blowing away a healthy lead in the final weeks of last season under Francesco Farioli, Johnny Heitinga was assistant manager at Liverpool, who claimed the Premier League title under Arne Slot.

After playing a secondary role in the Reds' run to the English title, Heitinga is back with the Amsterdam giants for a second spell after spending the second half of the 2022-23 season at the club, winning 14 of 22 matches at the helm.

Aiming to improve on that 63.4% win rate, the former Dutch centre-back hopes to get the club back on track after the previous season's collapse, which saw de Joden finish second despite holding a nine-point lead into the final five weeks of 2024-25.

While Heitinga's team began pre-season winning four and drawing one of their first five games, they failed to keep clean sheets in any of their matches, notably conceding three in a 6-3 win over Hibernian and two in a 3-2 triumph against Belgian side Mechelen.

Scoring more than the opponent has already proven unsustainable in the off-season, evidenced by their 3-0 loss to Como on July 27 and a recent 2-2 draw with Ligue 1 side Monaco at the start of August, further magnifying Ajax's defensive issues ahead of the new campaign.

Therefore, it will be fascinating to see if the promoted side can withstand the home side’s attacking firepower, while carrying enough threat at the other end to stun the Amsterdam hosts.

Ending their 47-year top-flight wilderness was perhaps unforeseen for much of last season, as they were never really in the running to secure a top-two finish, which went to Volendam and Excelsior.

Finishing on 61 points from 38 games, 13 points behind the second-tier's second-placed side highlighted Telstar's gap from the division's leading sides, but they benefitted from the league's third spot being decided via post-season playoffs.

Anthony Correia’s troops defeated ADO Den Haag 3-0 on aggregate in the first round, Den Bosch 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals and beat Willem II 5-3 on aggregate in the two-legged final, securing a 3-1 victory in Tilburg after drawing in Velsen-Zuid.

Preparation for their return to the Eredivisie has seen no less than seven players arrive, while pre-season results have been encouraging.

The White Lions have won six, drawn two and lost just one of their warm-up matches, notably scoring in every game except the 5-0 hammering against Jong Sparta Rotterdam on July 29.

Correia’s side bounced back from that heavy defeat with a 2-1 victory over Qatari side Shamal, and they hope to build on that success when they face a baptism of fire at Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday.

Ajax friendlies form:

Telstar friendlies form:

Team News

Josip Sutalo and Brian Brobbey are likely unavailable for the hosts due to ankle injuries, while Branco van den Boomen is expected to be sidelined due to a back complaint.

Aside from Jorrel Hato, who moved to Chelsea this summer, Ajax have lost Carlos Forbs, Borna Sosa, Jakov Medic, Kristian Hlynsson, Christian Rasmussen, Jordan Henderson and Jay Gorter in the off-season.

However, last season's top scorers Oliver Valaker Edvardsen (12 goals) and Wout Weghorst (10) remain at the club, and both forwards aim to start the new season strongly.

Zakaria Eddahchouri and Youssef El Kachati scored 19 and 17 goals last season, but both have now departed, meaning De Witte Leeuwen must find different attacking options this season.

Several debutants are expected to feature for the away side, including Daan Reiziger, Nigel Ogidi Nwankwo and Patrick Brouwer.

Despite the significant attacking departures, Correia has a healthy squad ready for Telstar’s return to the Eredivisie after nearly 50 years.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Jaros; Gaaei, Bouwman, Baas, Wijndal; Taylor, Mokio; Berghuis, Klaassen, Edvardsen, Weghorst

Telstar possible starting lineup:

Reiziger; Lechkar, Bakker, Benzzine, Schoonevald, Nwankwo; Noslin, Rossen, Koubini, Brouwer; Hagedoorn

We say: Ajax 4-1 Telstar

While the visitors will attempt to make Sunday’s fixture competitive, especially with their expected defensive setup, the hosts - whose attacking prowess has been evident in pre-season - should secure a comfortable victory in gameweek one.

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