🏏 Sun, 9 Aug 2026 14:30 CEST
PEC Zwolle
vs
Ajax
4-2-3-1 vs 4-3-3
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- Both PEC Zwolle and Ajax open the Eredivisie season in a 4-3-3, so the midfield threes face each other directly: Grof, Regeer and Klaassen for Ajax, Thomas, Oosting and Sorensen for Zwolle. Which set of full-backs closes down the width of the opposing front three first will shape the opening exchanges.
- Zwolle centre-back Nick Viergever faces his old club. The 37-year-old, capped by the Netherlands, played for both Ajax and PSV during his career and only joined Zwolle from Utrecht this summer. His left-footed distribution is his calling card, and nobody in this defence knows the Ajax front line better.
- Ajax lead the line with Kasper Dolberg. The 24-year-old Denmark international broke through at this club before spells at Nice, Sevilla, Hoffenheim and Anderlecht, and he returns with 56 caps and 12 international goals. He can hold the ball up or run in behind, which makes him awkward for a back two to pin down.
- On the left is 21-year-old Mika Godts. The Belgian, recruited from Genk's academy, produced 12 goals and nine assists in 21 matches in 2025-26. Right-footed, he is at his most dangerous cutting in from the left, and he is up against Zwolle right-back S. Floranus, a 27-year-old Curacao international who likes to join the attack himself.
- The right wing belongs to 34-year-old Steven Berghuis, the Netherlands international whose move from Feyenoord to Ajax caused such controversy. Left-footed, he threatens cutting inside and takes the set pieces; more recently he has been converted into a midfielder, so his job here is to regulate the tempo between two much younger wide players.
- Ajax's back line is a study in extremes. Aaron Bouman is 18, stands 188cm and only made his senior debut with Jong Ajax in 2024-25 after joining the youth setup in 2018. Beside him is Yuri Baas, a 23-year-old left-footed centre-back who established himself after a loan at NEC. How that young pair copes with Zwolle's set pieces — 191cm S. Graves among them — is one to watch.
- Ajax's midfield rebuild is where the money went. Number ten Oscar Grof, a 22-year-old Israel international, arrived from Red Bull Salzburg for around €14.75m and is comfortable on both feet. Yuri Regeer, also 22, came through the academy and was brought back from Twente via a buy-back clause of roughly €4.3m. Alongside them is 33-year-old Davy Klaassen, now in his third spell at the club.
- Zwolle's attack runs through K. Kostons. Born in Genk, the 26-year-old scored 32 goals in 157 games in MVV's system, hit 11 in 16 for Dalkurd in Sweden, and played 2. Bundesliga football at Paderborn. He was Zwolle's leading scorer, and his right-footed finishing and movement in the box are aimed squarely at Ajax's young centre-backs.
- In midfield, R. Thomas matters. The 31-year-old New Zealand international joined Zwolle in 2013 and helped them win the 2015 Dutch Super Cup, then suffered a serious knee injury after moving to PSV before returning to his old club in 2022. Converted from winger to central midfielder, he brings the experience this young Ajax midfield has to play through.