Ajax vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Ajax and Shakhtar Donetsk are set to square off at the Sportpark De Toekomst in a handsomely-looking exhibition match.

New manager Maurice Steijn got his Ajax tenure off to a sluggish start as the ‘Lancers’ shared the spoils with second-tier Den Bosch in a goal-glutted 2-2 draw in their opening summer friendly. Former boss John Heitinga signed off with an underwhelming 3-1 defeat at Twente in the final round of the 2022/23 Eredivisie season that knocked Ajax down from a three-game unbeaten run (W2, D1) and condemned them to a third-place finish. But high scoring has been a common theme in Ajax’s recent games as each of their last four has seen over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet, highlighting the potential for a ‘goal-friendly’ encounter.

In the meantime, Shakhtar Donetsk may have won the title in the 2022/23 Ukrainian Premier League season, but the ongoing war in the country has deprived them of almost every foreign star. Faced with numerous high-profile departures, Patrick van Leeuwen’s men have stuttered in their early pre-season, following up an action-packed 3-3 draw against Ajax’s fellow Dutch rivals AZ Alkmaar with an embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the hands of AEK Athens. Another disappointing result could be waiting in the wings, considering Shakhtar’s only previous meeting with Ajax yielded a 3-1 loss. However, connoisseurs of entertainment will be looking forward to this meeting, considering Shakhtar’s last six matches have featured over 2.5 goals.