Julian Brandt Shines in Ajax's 5-1 Victory Over Fortuna Sittard
Julian Brandt’s volley lit the fuse. Ajax did the rest.
The German playmaker crashed in a superb opener as Ajax swept aside Fortuna Sittard 5-1 in the Eredivisie, a ruthless response to last week’s domestic setback and a reminder of the firepower still lurking in this side.
It all began with a warning at the other end. Ole Romeny thought he had the breakthrough, only for Marc ter Stegen to spring to his right and claw the effort away. Moments later, the punishment arrived. On 35 minutes, Brandt met a loose ball with perfect timing and technique, guiding a brilliant volley beyond the Fortuna goalkeeper to put the visitors in front.
No knee slide. No roar. No chest-beating.
Brandt simply turned away, almost subdued, as team-mates rushed to congratulate him. Speaking to ESPN NL after the match, the 30-year-old explained why such a spectacular strike brought such a muted reaction.
"I wasn't really happy with my performance in the first half," Brandt said. "I had some sloppy balls and easy passes that I wasn't happy with. For me, it was a moment to express my feelings instead of running around celebrating. I'm not that typical celebration guy anyway."
Ajax went in ahead, but the game briefly tilted after the break. Anthony Descotte pounced to level for Fortuna, capitalising on one of the very lapses Brandt had in mind. Ajax had invited pressure with casual play in possession, and Fortuna finally made one of those openings count.
The response was emphatic.
Thilo Kehrer restored the lead, Davy Klaassen added another, and Kasper Dolberg joined the party as Ajax ripped through a tiring Fortuna defence. Youri Baas completed the scoring, turning a potentially awkward away day into a statement win. From 1-1 and a hint of tension, Ajax surged clear to 5-1, their attacking waves simply overwhelming the hosts.
Brandt, though, kept circling back to the details that annoyed him. For all the goals, he saw danger in the way Ajax allowed Fortuna to grow into the game through needless turnovers.
"We have moments where we have sloppy mistakes in ball possession, a little bit naive sometimes," he noted. "It's normal with a lot of new, young players, but we have to work on avoiding these small things. If you concede goals in future games, it makes everything harder."
That was the warning. The praise came with it. Brandt highlighted Ajax’s instinct around the box, their ability to “smell” the decisive moment and force open tight matches with a single, clean strike. His volley did exactly that. So did the flurry that followed once Fortuna were stretched and chasing.
This was also a personal checkpoint for the midfielder. After missing chunks of pre-season, Brandt has been playing catch-up physically. Now, he insists, that phase is over.
"I'm at 100% now," he said. "My physical data, like sprints and velocity, was really good. I'm ready for the busy week in front of us and hungry for more."
He pointed to recent performance data from matches such as the clash with PEC Zwolle as proof that his top speed and intensity have returned. The numbers back up the eye test: sharper bursts, stronger duels, more constant involvement.
Ajax leave with five goals, three points, and a performance that both reassures and challenges. The scoreline flatters their attacking talent; Brandt’s words underline the standards he expects. If this is him at full fitness and still demanding more, how far can this Ajax side go once those “small things” in possession are finally cleaned up?
