Ten Hag equals Cruyff record with Ajax in Eredivisie

Erik ten Hag's Ajax matched Johan Cruyff's record in Eredivisie following Saturday's 5-2 win over lowly Fortuna Sittard.

Ajax improved their tally to 250 goals in 82 matches under head coach Ten Hag after overturning an early deficit against bottom side Fortuna in Amsterdam.

It is only the second time an Eredivisie team have scored at least 250 goals in their first 82 games under a specific manager after Cruyff's Ajax in 1987, per Opta.

Ten Hag took charge of Ajax in 2017 and the 50-year-old has guided the Dutch giants to Eredivisie, KNVB Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield glory, while he oversaw the club's memorable run to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final.

Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen scored a first-half brace to cancel out George Cox's seventh-minute opener on Saturday.

Brian Brobbey, Dusan Tadic and Quincy Promes were also on target for hosts Ajax, who are top of the table on goal difference through seven matches.

Brobbey (18 years and 173 days) became the youngest player to score a goal on his Eredivisie debut for Ajax since Jairo Riedewald (17 years and 104 days) in December 2013.

The teenager scored just eight minutes after coming on against Sittard and is eager to kick on with his boyhood club. 

"This is just the beginning. I hope there are more to come," Brobbey told Fox Sports post-match. 

"I played my matches in Young Ajax and just did my best. Then I knew my chance would come. This was the moment. I just want to stay with Ajax. I am close to signing an extension."

Speaking about Brobbey, Klaassen added: "A lot is written about the young boys here. You are always in the spotlight. You have to wait and seize your chances. He did that today."

Ten Hag also singled out Brobbey for praise but was quite critical of his side's overall performance on Saturday, who had won their last Eredivisie match 13-0 against VVV-Venlo. 

"The sharpness was not there today. Both in the box of the opponent and in our own sixteen. That was insufficient. We wasted energy unnecessarily," the Ajax manager said.

"Last year he [Brobbey] went from one injury to another. This year we have carefully built it up with him. It is a compliment to him and to the staff that he has come this far now. He still needs a lot of work. That he scores is great. He is a player that we would like to continue with. Let that be clear."