Excelsior coach Ruben den Uil could hardly believe what his side had pulled off against Ajax. The Rotterdam club held the Amsterdam side to a 2-2 draw and, according to Den Uil, that took not only enormous fighting spirit but a fair bit of luck as well.
Den Uil admitted the gap in individual quality between the two teams was huge. Ajax had far more options at their disposal, in his view, so Excelsior spent most of the match digging in.
His players went to the limit to grind out a result. Den Uil was particularly pleased afterwards with the way his side stood up to the Amsterdam club.
Tolu Arokodare, in particular, made a huge impression on Den Uil. The Excelsior coach said the Nigerian striker, who made it 2-2 shortly after coming on, is almost impossible to stop because of his physique and height.
"Tolu, that is almost fraud for the competition. He is so incredibly strong and so tall. A cheat code, that’s not normal," the coach laughed afterwards. "Even if you get a ten on your report for your marking, this man still rises above you and can nod the ball in."
Ajax's squad also impressed Den Uil. The Excelsior coach said the Amsterdam side are totally different from a year ago and have an exceptional amount of quality.
"They have a few incredibly good players. Even for the Eredivisie, that is unprecedented," Den Uil continued.
For that reason, Den Uil was especially proud of the point his side took. "It really is an incredibly fine performance from us, and then you also need the luck that a ball does not go in."