Feyenoord-Ajax is a match in the semi-finals of the Netherlands Cup and is played on Wednesday at 20:00: live TV, predictions, likely formations.
In the week when the national cups enter their crucial phase, the Dutch Cup was no exception. Taking a look at the semi-finalists, it is a competition that, on balance, fully mirrors the current Eredivisie standings.
Psv Eindhoven, third on equal points with Ajax, yesterday snatched a pass to the final by beating third division side Spakenburg 2-1. The last act of the so-called KNVB Beker will be played against one of Feyenoord and Ajax, the two teams currently occupying first and second place respectively in the Dutch top league. What is known in the Netherlands as the Klassieker was staged just over a fortnight ago in the Eredivisie, before the national team break, with Feyenoord arguably claiming the decisive victory (2-3) for the title, allowing them to move up to +8 on the pair formed by Ajax and Psv Eindhoven when there are seven games left to the end of the tournament. Arne Slot’s men are in scintillating form and the fact that they are still unbeaten in 2023 between the league and Europa League proves it. Speaking of Europe, in just over seven days’ time Feyenoord will take on Roma in a repeat of last year’s Conference League final.
Ajax are in trouble again
The Lancers, on the other hand, took the blow and after the defeat in the last round of the Eredivisie, they were stopped by the Go Ahead Eagles (0-0).
Unless there are any surprises, Ajax are set to end a disappointing season, which could only be ‘saved’ by winning the Dutch Cup. The Amsterdam club, now with one and a half feet out of the title fight, has dropped out of all the European cups – having finished third in the Champions League group, once relegated to the Europa League they failed to survive the play-off against Germany’s Union Berlin – and risks being left empty-handed. The interim coach, John Heitinga, has failed to find the right formula to straighten out a season that started badly and could end even worse.
The Prediction
Feyenoord have already shown in the league that they have something more than an Ajax side that doesn’t look anything like the one from the ten Hag era. The hosts are favourites in a match that should provide the same spectacle as a fortnight ago.
Feyenoord-Ajax line-ups
- FEYENOORD (4-3-3): Wellenreuther; Geertruida, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer, Szymanski, Kokcu; Jahanbakhsh, Gimenez, Idrissi.
- AJAX (4-3-3): Rulli; Sanchez, Timber, Bassey, Wijndal; Berghuis, Alvarez, Taylor; Kudus, Tadic, Bergwijn.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1