Ajax were condemned to play-off football after drawing 0-0 with sc Heerenveen last weekend. The Amsterdam giants finished fifth in the Eredivisie, leaving the play-offs as their only shot at reaching European football.
To avoid a first season without European football since the turn of the century, FC Groningen first had to be beaten in the semifinals. Ajax were not playing at home due to a series of 10 Harry Styles concerts at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, which forced Ajax's play-off games to be moved to FC Volendam's Kras Stadion.
Without the injured Ko Itakura and Josip Sutalo in the starting XI, Ajax thought they'd started on a high note after Mika Godts brilliantly fired the ball past Etienne Vaessen via the crossbar. However, the Belgian starlet was caught offside, putting a strike through Ajax's opener.
Davy Klaassen, who's aptly nicknamed 'Mister 1-0', eventually put the opener on the board in the 24th minute after heading in a cross from Godts.
Ajax created even more chances in the first half, likely their best in months, but failed to convert any as Wout Weghorst had been deemed offside after finally putting the ball in the back of the net minutes before failing to convert in a one-on-one.
18-year-old Jorthy Mokio put more daylight between Ajax and Groningen, who failed to convince whatsoever in Volendam, by expertly half-volleying the ball past Vaessen ten minutes after half-time.
After FC Groningen also had a goal disallowed for offside, it was all done in Volendam as Ajax secured their spot in Sunday's play-off final.
