SC Heerenveen vs Ajax preview

Netherlands flag 2025/2026 Eredivisie, Netherlands
Abe Lenstra Stadion Sun, 17 May - 12:30 PM
Eredivisie
SC HeerenveenHEE
0 – 0
AjaxAJA
Full Time Sun, 17 May 12:30 PM
Round 34 Regular Season

CONTEXT

The encounter between SC Heerenveen and Ajax concluded with a 0-0 scoreline after ninety minutes of play. The teams were level at halftime with neither side finding the net in the opening forty-five minutes. Possession was fairly balanced with the home side enjoying a slight edge at fifty-three percent to forty-seven percent. Ajax entered the fixture as the stronger team but were unable to convert their quality into goals against a resolute Heerenveen defense. No dismissals occurred throughout the contest leaving both sides with full complements on the pitch. The draw marked a notable departure from anticipated outcomes especially concerning the visitors performance levels. Overall the game showcased tactical discipline and limited clear cut opportunities for either participant.

TL;DR

  • Structural deviation: Final score: SC Heerenveen 0-0 Ajax. Ajax showed a significant deviation from the pre-match structural baseline.
  • Efficiency shift: Team efficiencies remained in line with pre-match projections throughout the fixture.
  • xG alignment: Expected goals data was unavailable preventing direct alignment assessment with the final result.
  • Market alignment: The draw outcome did not align with market expectations for the match.
  • xG expectations: No specific expected goals values were recorded for either SC Heerenveen or Ajax.
  • Event impact: The absence of major events allowed both teams to complete the match with standard tactics.
  • Red card distortion: With no red cards issued the match proceeded without any numerical disadvantages for the sides.
No standings statistics available.
No head-to-head records found.
0.5+ goals: 85%
1.5+ goals: 70%
2.5+ goals: 50%
3.5+ goals: 25%
Confidence: High (≥8 matches)

Quality vs Volume

Home: xG 1.8, Shots 12, xG/Shot 0.15
Away: xG 1.5, Shots 14, xG/Shot 0.11

Open Play vs Set Play

Open Play: 65%
Set Play: 35%

Expected Points

TeamxPts
Home1.8
Away1.2
ℹ️ Methodology: Expected Goals (xG) measures shot quality
J. Kooij
J. Kooij
Referee • 25 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0.52
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0.12
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
D. Fikkert
D. Fikkert
1st Assistant • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
H. Kucukerbir
H. Kucukerbir
2nd Assistant • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
T. Hardeman
T. Hardeman
4th Official • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
SC Heerenveen R. Veldman
R. Veldman
VS
Ajax Ó. García Junyent
Ó. García Junyent
1.71
Avg Points / Game (Last 100 Matches)
1.67
1.67 i
Last 6 Opponents
NAC Breda Rank: 54 L
FC Volendam Rank: 60 W
Fortuna Sittard Rank: 61 W
AZ Rank: 75 L
Heracles Almelo Rank: 54 W
NEC Nijmegen Rank: 74 D
Avg Points / Game (Last 6 Matches)
1.33 i
Last 6 Opponents
FC Utrecht Rank: 71 L
PSV Rank: 86 D
NAC Breda Rank: 55 W
Heracles Almelo Rank: 54 W
FC Twente Rank: 76 L
Feyenoord Rank: 76 D
6
Head to Head (Wins - Draws - Losses)
6 - 6 - 33
33

Win Probabilities

Live Win Probability (90 Min)
Home SC Heerenveen
29.64%
Draw
22.96%
Away Ajax
47.39%

Movement

Changes since opening
SC Heerenveen
+24.14%
Draw
-64.36%
Ajax
+40.2%

Team Power Ranking

i
What is Power Ranking?
Power ranking is SportMonks' model-based team strength indicator. Historical input capped to 2 seasons.
68.99
75.45
0 (Weakest) 100 (Strongest)
Metric
SC Heerenveen
Ajax
Power Score
68.99
75.45
League Position
8
5
Global Rank
227
102

Form Analysis Opponent-Weighted

Line chart of recent results (points/trend). Friendlies excluded by default. Hover for opponent, result, xG/xGA and power ranking — based on last 6 matches.

–
vs
SC Heerenveen — Opponent-weighted form score
Ajax — Opponent-weighted form score
Win (3 pts) Draw (1 pt) Loss (0 pts) SC Heerenveen Ajax

Heatmaps Ball coordinates

Attack and defence zones from ball position data. Filters: last 6 matches (overall/home/away), time period, competition.

–
vs

SC Heerenveen

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

Ajax

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

Possession Efficiency Possession-Adjusted

How effectively each team uses and defends their share of possession. Efficiency adjusted based on team possession percentage

SC Heerenveen ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy Ajax
Attacking Efficiency
Higher is better
Attacking Efficiency
36.70
54.89
Defensive Efficiency
Lower is better
Defensive Efficiency
54.89
36.70
Combined Efficiency Index Z-score combining attacking and defensive possession-adjusted efficiency.
Positive = above league average.
Negative = below league average.
Formula: EfficiencyIndex = z(AttackEff) − z(DefenceEff)
-3 0 3
SC Heerenveen -1.90 Efficiency Index
vs
Ajax +1.90 Efficiency Index
xG data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using shots and dangerous attacks (proxy). Confidence: Medium.
SC Heerenveen
Ajax
AttackEff = xG ÷ pos
DefenceEff = xGA ÷ (1−pos)

Set Pieces Efficiency Attack & Defence

Set-piece reliance and strength using expected metrics and actual outcomes for each team.

SC Heerenveen ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy Ajax
Created Set-piece attacking threat
SC Heerenveen Ajax
Set-piece xG Share Share of total expected goals generated from set pieces. Higher = more set-piece reliant in attack.
—
—
Goals per Match Average set-piece goals scored per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xG) Goals scored minus set-piece xG. Positive = overperforming; Negative = underperforming expectations.
— vs —
Conceded Set-piece defensive exposure
SC Heerenveen Ajax
Set-piece xGA Share Share of total expected goals conceded from set pieces. Higher = more exposed to set pieces defensively.
—
—
Conceded per Match Average set-piece goals conceded per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xGA) Goals conceded minus set-piece xGA. Positive = conceding more than expected (bad); Negative = conceding less than expected (good).
— vs —
xG set-piece data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using proxy metrics (shots, dangerous attacks). Confidence: Medium.
SC Heerenveen
Ajax
xG Share = set-piece xG ÷ total xG
vs Expected = goals − set-piece xG

Counter / Transition Attack & Defence

What happens in the 15 seconds immediately after possession changes hands — based on Last 6 matches.

–
SC Heerenveen
vs
Ajax
Attack After Winning Possession transition → offence
SC Heerenveen Ajax
Goals per Match Average goals scored within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Shots per Match Average shots taken within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Average dangerous attacks launched within 15s of winning possession per match. ↑ better
—
—
Transition Efficiency Index Composite score (0–1) of how efficiently this team attacks within 15s of winning the ball. Higher = more dangerous on transition. Higher = stronger on the counter
SC Heerenveen 0.23
Ajax 0.41
Defence After Losing Possession loss → defensive exposure
SC Heerenveen Ajax
Goals Conceded Average goals conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Shots Conceded Average shots conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Conceded Average dangerous attacks allowed within 15s of losing possession per match. ↓ better
—
—
Vulnerability Index Composite score (0–1) of how exposed this team is within 15s of losing the ball. Lower = better at preventing transition attacks. Lower = better transition defence
SC Heerenveen 0.00
Ajax 0.00
SC Heerenveen
Ajax
Window = 15s post-possession change
Index = 0–1 composite score

PRESSURE INDEX

Momentum phases from smoothed minute-by-minute pressure.

  • AJA had peak pressure around 41'.
  • HEE started the game with stronger pressure.
HEE Pressure AJA Pressure
⚡
Pressure Index: AJA reached the top pressure at 41' (89.44).

Team Head to Head Last 6 Seasons

Summary of 45 matches between these sides — filtered by competition and venue context.

SC Heerenveen HEE Home
45 matches
Ajax AJA Away
Match Record
6
Wins
33
6
Draws
6
33
Losses
6
Goals
48
Goals Scored
131
131
Goals Conceded
48
-83
Goal Difference
+83
Expected Goals
0
xG
0
0
xGA
0

Data last updated: 2026-05-18T00:01:22+00:00

STARTING XI

Match Formation 4-2-3-1
Match Formation 4-3-3
Pitch

General Information

Date & Time
May 17, 2026, 12:30 PM
Competition
2025/2026 Eredivisie, Netherlands · Round 34 · Regular Season
Stadium
Abe Lenstra Stadion
Capacity
27224
Attendance
25450
Pitch Surface
Grass
Weather
☀️ 12°C, Fair
Referees
Joey Kooij
Dyon Fikkert
Halis Murat Kucukerbir
Thomas Hardeman

Statistics

Possession
HEE
52%
AJA
48%

Top Statistics

2 Big Chances Created 0
16 Shots 23
69 Dangerous attacks 56
53 Possession 47
10 Corners 6
8 Free kicks 9
0 Yellow Cards 3

Match Overview

4 Substitutions 4
1 Injuries 0
23 Dribble Attempts 21
43 Successful Dribbles Percentage 24
11 Throwins 11
10 Successful Dribbles 5
10 Successful Headers 13
10 Goal Kicks 9
68 Ball Safe 67
10 Goal Attempts 13
0 Hit Woodwork 1

Attacking

2 Big Chances Missed 0
116 Attacks 105

Possession

13 Key Passes 18
476 Successful Passes 432
26 Successful Long Passes 23
45 Successful Long Passes Percentage 56
562 Passes 500
85 Successful Passes Percentage 86
58 Long Passes 41

Defensive

6 Saves 4
20 Tackles 19
6 Interceptions 5
48 Duels Won 45

Build-up

5 Accurate Crosses 5
27 Total Crosses 23

Discipline

1 Offsides 0
9 Fouls 8

Lineup

Referee : Joey Kooij

Starting XI ▼

22
Bernt Klaverboer
Bernt Klaverboer Goalkeeper
3
Maas Willemsen
Maas Willemsen Defender
4
Sam Kersten
Sam Kersten Defender
19
Vasilios Zagaritis
Vasilios Zagaritis Defender
28
Hristiyan Petrov
Hristiyan Petrov
Defender75'
45
Oliver Braude
Oliver Braude Defender
6
Joris van Overeem
Joris van Overeem Midfielder
10
Ringo Meerveld
Ringo Meerveld Midfielder
8
Luuk Brouwers
Luuk Brouwers
Midfielder84'
11
Luca Oyen
Luca Oyen Midfielder
50
Eser Gürbüz
Eser Gürbüz
Attacker84'
16
Marcus Linday
Marcus Linday Midfielder
20
Jacob Trenskow
Jacob Trenskow Midfielder
9
Dylan Vente
Dylan Vente Attacker
18
Lasse Nordås
Lasse Nordås
Attacker84'
Referee : Joey Kooij

Starting XI ▼

26
Maarten Paes
Maarten Paes Goalkeeper
2
Lucas Rosa
Lucas Rosa Defender
3
Anton Gaaei
Anton Gaaei Defender
4
Ko Itakura
Ko Itakura Defender
15
Youri Baas
Youri Baas Defender
18
Davy Klaassen
Davy Klaassen Midfielder
6
Youri Regeer
Youri Regeer
Midfielder69'
24
Jorthy Mokio
Jorthy Mokio Midfielder
48
Sean Steur
Sean Steur Midfielder
9
Kasper Dolberg
Kasper Dolberg
Attacker79'
11
Mika Godts
Mika Godts Attacker
7
Maher Carrizo
Maher Carrizo
Attacker85'
23
Steven Berghuis
Steven Berghuis Attacker
43
Rayane Bounida
Rayane Bounida
Attacker69'
25
Wout Weghorst
Wout Weghorst Attacker

Events

2ND-HALF
85'
Event
Maher Carrizo → Mika Godts
8th Substitution
Event
Eser Gürbüz → Luca Oyen
6th Substitution
84'
Event
Lasse Nordås → Dylan Vente
7th Substitution
84'
Event
Luuk Brouwers → Ringo Meerveld
5th Substitution
84'
79'
Event
Kasper Dolberg → Sean Steur
4th Substitution
Event
Hristiyan Petrov → Vasilios Zagaritis
3rd Substitution
75'
70'
Event
Youri Regeer
Foul / 3rd Yellowcard
69'
Event
Rayane Bounida → Steven Berghuis
1st Substitution
69'
Event
Youri Regeer → Davy Klaassen
2nd Substitution
58'
Event
Lucas Rosa
Foul / 2nd Yellowcard
1ST-HALF
26'
Event
Jorthy Mokio
Foul / 1st Yellowcard

Match Commentary

90
Attempt Attempt
Maher Carrizo takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
79
Attempt Attempt
Oliver Braude takes a right-footed shot but misses.
89
Attempt Attempt
Anton Gaaei takes a right-footed shot but misses.
81
Attempt Attempt
Luca Oyen's right-footed shot is blocked.
79
Update Update
Kasper Dolberg comes on for Sean Steur.
82
Attempt Attempt
Dylan Vente's right-footed shot is blocked.
86
Attempt Attempt
Maher Carrizo takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
83
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob took a right-footed shot but missed.
72
Attempt Attempt
Mika Godts takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
71
Attempt Attempt
Rayane Bounida takes a left-footed shot, but it's blocked.
86
Attempt Attempt
Maher Carrizo takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
85
Attempt Attempt
Maher Carrizo's left-footed shot is blocked.
85
Update Update
Maher Carrizo replaces Mika Godts.
75
Update Update
Hristiyan Petrov comes on for Vasilios Zagaritis.
90
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a right-footed shot but misses.
87
Update Update
Luuk Brouwers comes on for Ringo Meerveld.
84
Update Update
Lasse Selvag Nordas is on, and Dylan Vente is off.
90
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a right-footed shot but misses.
67
Attempt Attempt
Anton Gaaei's right-footed shot is blocked.
70
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Yellow card shown to Youri Regeer.
69
Update Update
Rayane Bounida replaces Steven Berghuis.
63
Attempt Attempt
Jorthy Mokio attempts a header but misses the shot.
72
Attempt Attempt
Sean Steur takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
55
Update Update
Wout Weghorst takes a header, but it misses the target.
80
Attempt Attempt
Kasper Dolberg's right-footed shot is saved.
82
Attempt Attempt
Ringo Meerveld takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
74
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a left-footed shot but misses.
65
Attempt Attempt
Steven Berghuis takes a left-footed shot but misses.
47
Attempt Attempt
Steven Berghuis takes a left-footed shot but misses.
42
Attempt Attempt
Sean Steur takes a right-footed shot but misses.
40
Attempt Attempt
Sean Steur takes a left-footed shot but misses.
37
Attempt Attempt
Anton Gaaei takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
31
Attempt Attempt
Ringo Meerveld takes a right-footed shot but misses.
58
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Lucas Oliveira Rosa receives a yellow card.
39
Attempt Attempt
Wout Weghorst takes a right-footed shot but misses.
62
Attempt Attempt
Dylan Vente takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
56
Attempt Attempt
Wout Weghorst's header shot missed.
49
Attempt Attempt
Dylan Vente takes a right-footed shot but misses.
49
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
37
Attempt Attempt
Lucas Oliveira Rosa takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
21
Attempt Attempt
Dylan Vente takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
45
Attempt Attempt
Anton Gaaei takes a right-footed shot but misses.
26
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Jorthy Mokio receives a yellow card.
12
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
3
Attempt Attempt
Sean Steur takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
6
Attempt Attempt
Trenskow Jacob takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
14
Attempt Attempt
Luca Oyen's right-footed shot is saved.
84
Update Update
Eser Gurbuz replaces Luca Oyen.
69
Update Update
Youri Regeer replaces Davy Klaassen.
23
Attempt Attempt
Wout Weghorst attempts a header but misses the shot.

CONCLUSION

Final score detail: SC Heerenveen 0-0 Ajax. Structural assessment: Ajax exhibited a significant deviation from the pre-match structural baseline. Efficiency outcome: Possession-adjusted chance creation finished in line with projected levels. Result alignment: The final score was contrary to the pre-match probability model. Market alignment: The match result was outside the projected probability range.