Julian Brandt's Volley Sparks Ajax Victory

Julian Brandt’s volley lit up the afternoon, but his reaction told a different story.

Ajax crushed Fortuna Sittard 5-1 in the Eredivisie, a ruthless response to last week’s domestic setback, and yet the man who sparked it all barely raised an arm when the ball hit the net.

Brandt’s brilliance, muted reaction

The game swung on 35 minutes. Moments after Marc ter Stegen had kept Ajax level with a sharp stop to deny Ole Romeny, Ajax broke, the ball sat up, and Brandt met it with a stunning volley to give the visitors the lead. Technique, timing, power – all perfect.

No knee slide. No roar. Just a subdued walk, a few handshakes, and back into position.

Brandt later explained why, speaking to ESPN NL after the game. The 30-year-old admitted he was still angry with himself despite scoring the opener, annoyed by a string of sloppy touches and simple passes gone astray in the first half. The goal didn’t erase that in his mind.

“I wasn’t really happy with my performance in the first half,” he said, pointing to “sloppy balls and easy passes” that had frustrated him. The finish, he suggested, was less a moment for joy and more a release of tension. He stressed he’s never been the “typical celebration guy” anyway.

Fortuna’s response, Ajax’s answer

Fortuna Sittard didn’t fold immediately. After the break, Anthony Descotte dragged them level, punishing one of those careless Ajax moments Brandt had warned about.

For a few minutes, the game opened up. Ajax’s looseness in possession invited pressure, and Fortuna sensed a way back.

Then the visitors snapped back into gear.

Thilo Kehrer restored the lead, Davy Klaassen added another, and the floodgates opened. Kasper Dolberg got in on the act, and Youri Baas completed the scoring, turning a brief wobble into a statement win. By the end, Fortuna were chasing shadows, Ajax carving through with the kind of clinical edge that had been missing a week earlier.

Brandt highlighted that contrast. Ajax, he said, “have moments where we have sloppy mistakes in ball possession, a little bit naive sometimes,” especially with so many new and young players on the pitch. Those errors allowed Fortuna brief control and the chance to strike back.

His warning was clear: better sides will not be so forgiving. Concede like that in future games and the whole afternoon becomes a grind instead of a showcase.

What encouraged him was Ajax’s instinct around the box. They sensed danger, then sensed opportunity, and delivered what he called a crucial “door-opening” goal when it mattered.

Fully fit and “hungry for more”

Away from the scoreline, Brandt’s own condition might be the most significant takeaway for Ajax’s season.

After missing parts of pre-season, he confirmed he now feels at full capacity. The data backs him up. He pointed to his physical numbers from recent matches, including against PEC Zwolle, noting that his sprint and velocity metrics have returned to peak levels.

“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.”

A five-goal win, a volley to remember, and a playmaker finally back at full tilt. If this is Brandt at 100%, how far can this Ajax side go once those “sloppy” moments are stripped out of their game?