Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 Ajax: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Eredivisie Matchday 10 · Sunday 25 October 2026 · Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam · referee D. Makkelie · full time
Full time: Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 Ajax
Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 Ajax: Ajax took the points in Eredivisie Matchday 10 on Sunday 25 October 2026 at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel. The goals: Abdellah Ouazane 22', Jens Toornstra 43', Tolu Arokodare 45+1'. Moneyball's pre-match estimate had the result right.
How Ajax won it
The opening goal came in the 22nd minute: Abdellah Ouazane for Ajax, set up by Julian Brandt. Sparta Rotterdam levelled at 1-1 in the 43rd minute through Jens Toornstra, set up by Isaac Babadi. Tolu Arokodare made it 1-2 to Ajax in the 45th minute (+1), set up by Julian Brandt.
It was 1-2 at half-time, and nothing changed after the break.
The referee, D. Makkelie, showed 3 yellow cards: 1 to Sparta Rotterdam and 2 to Ajax.
Sparta Rotterdam: R. Meijer, 5-4-1 · Ajax: M. Sánchez Muñoz, 4-3-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
An Ajax win was the estimate's call at 60%, and it came in. The exact score was another matter: 1-3 was the likeliest, 1-2 the real one.
On goals the estimate was close: about 4.2 expected, 3 scored.
Over 2.5 goals had been put at 79%; with 3 goals the over came in, as the estimate leaned.
Both teams to score was 74%; both did, in line with the estimate.
Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-10-25, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 1.51 for Sparta Rotterdam and 1.13 for Ajax.
Sparta Rotterdam had 5 shots on target, Ajax 4.
Ajax had 59% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Sparta Rotterdam came into it with 12 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 1.8 and conceding 2.4 a match, with 1.71 expected goals for and 2.05 against, and had won 25% of their matches.
Ajax came into it with 12 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 2.7 and conceding 1.3 a match, with 2.24 expected goals for and 1.44 against, and had won 58% of their matches.
Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax: the match in numbers
| Sparta Rotterdam | Match statistics | Ajax |
|---|---|---|
| 41% | Ball possession | 59% |
| 1.51 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.13 |
| 11 | Total shots | 16 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 4 |
| 2 | Big chances | 3 |
| 403 | Total passes | 614 |
| 81% | Pass accuracy | 87% |
| 5 | Corners | 3 |
| 15 | Fouls | 7 |
| 3 | Offsides | 1 |
| 22 | Tackles | 14 |
| 2 | Saves | 3 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Dies Janse (Ajax), rated 7.8 by Sportmonks.
Sparta Rotterdam
- Nick Verschuren 7.6
- Isaac Babadi 7.0 1 assist
- Mitchell van Bergen 7.0
- Robin van Cruijsen 6.9
- Jens Toornstra 6.8 1 goal
Ajax
- Dies Janse 7.8
- Julian Brandt 7.8 2 assists
- Youri Baas 7.5
- Abdellah Ouazane 7.5 1 goal
- Sofyan Amrabat 7.4
The lowest-rated starter was Bas Kuipers at 5.9. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Sparta Rotterdam: Sparta Rotterdam vs AZ Alkmaar Sunday 22 November 2026 · Eredivisie
- Ajax: Ajax vs ADO Den Haag Sunday 22 November 2026 · Eredivisie
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax
What was the score in Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax?
Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 Ajax (half-time 1-2), Eredivisie, Sunday 25 October 2026.
Who scored in Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax?
Abdellah Ouazane 22', Jens Toornstra 43', Tolu Arokodare 45+1'.
Did Moneyball predict Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax correctly?
An Ajax win was the estimate's call at 60%, and it came in. The exact score was another matter: 1-3 was the likeliest, 1-2 the real one.
Who was man of the match in Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax?
Dies Janse, rated 7.8 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax?
D. Makkelie.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball is a football statistics site. No model predicts football reliably: every figure is an estimate.