PRE-SEASON MATCH REPORT: AJAX 2

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PRE-SEASON MATCH REPORT: AJAX 2 - 1 BURNLEY

Clarets fall to narrow defeat in Amsterdam

2026-07-26T15:30+01:00

PRE-SEASON MATCH REPORT: AJAX 2 - 1 BURNLEY

Clarets fall to narrow defeat in Amsterdam

2026-07-26T15:30+01:00

Burnley put on an impressive display despite losing 2-1 in a tightly-contested pre-season friendly with AFC Ajax at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Sunday afternoon.

Despite a promising start from Nicky Hayen's side and creating plenty of opportunities, Ajax took the lead just after the half-hour mark through Aaron Bouwman.

Amsterdam-born and former Ajax academy product Jaydon Banel then pulled the scores level on the hour, before the hosts regained their advantage with Abdellah Ouazane’s strike, which turned out to be the winning goal.

After the hosts controlled the opening five minutes, Burnley forced the first corner of the game, as Jacob Bruun Larsen broke into the area down the left and saw his dinked cross towards the back-post headed away from danger.

The Clarets were growing into it and created another opportunity, but Josh Laurent’s stinging effort was palmed away by Joeri Heerkens.

Ajax were limited to any real chances on goal as the friendly reached the halfway mark of the first-half, with Hannibal up next to try his luck from the edge of box, but the midfielder’s strike sailed well over the crossbar.

Burnley were looking the most likely of the two sides to break the deadlock, this time Bashir Humphreys saw his back-post header from a corner deflect just wide of the target.

However, against the run of play, the hosts did open the scoring through Bouwman’s close range effort, after pouncing on Max Weiss’ save to turn it home from a few yards out.

The final chance of the half fell to Ajax’s Anton Gaaei, but the full-back’s effort from inside the box was blocked and out for a corner.

Despite a promising and impressive opening 35 minutes from the Clarets, it was the Dutch side that went into the break with a slender lead.

Ahead of the second-half, Hayen made two changes at the break, with Mike Tresor and Luca Koleosho replacing Bruun-Larsen and Edwards.

Ajax carved open the first opportunity of the second 45, as Ouzane picked out Don Angelo Konadu at the back-post, but the striker could only guider his header onto the roof of the net.

However, the Clarets then got their deserved goal, as Koleosho unleashed an effort from outside the area, which found Banel, who managed to react quickest and back-heel it home into the bottom corner to tie the scores level on his return to his hometown club.

The scores were not level for long though, as just a few minutes later the hosts sparked a quick counter-attack, which saw Ouazane meet Konadu’s pass across the face of goal, to slot it in from close range and regain Ajax’s advantage.

Despite efforts from Hayen's men to respond, the friendly ended in defeat, with the Clarets' attention now turning to Wednesday's meeting with Espanyol at Turf Moor.

Burnley: Weiss, Walker (Sambo 70), Roberts (Sonne 70), Humphreys (Campbell 86), Pires (Worrall 70) Laurent (Clark 86), Ramsey (Castell 70), Hannibal (Brierley 86), Bruun Larsen (Koleosho HT), Edwards (Tresor HT), Banel (Hountondji 70)

Unused substitutes: Edwards, Pimlott, McMahon-Brown

Ajax: Heerkens, Gaaei, Bouwman, Baas, Henrique, Johnson, Carrizo, Mokio, Leonardo, Ouazane, Edvardsen

Goals: Bouwman 33’, Banel 61’, Ouazane 67’