FC Groningen 2-5 Ajax: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Eredivisie Matchday 9 · Sunday 18 October 2026 · Euroborg, Groningen · referee D. Higler · full time
Full time: FC Groningen 2-5 Ajax
FC Groningen 2-5 Ajax: Ajax took the points in Eredivisie Matchday 9 on Sunday 18 October 2026 at Euroborg. The goals: Julian Brandt 27', Aaron Bouwman 37', Brynjólfur Willumsson 49', Julian Brandt 60', Jorthy Mokio 69', Jorthy Mokio 75', Thom van Bergen 83'.
How Ajax won it
Julian Brandt put Ajax ahead in the 27th minute. Aaron Bouwman made it 0-2 to Ajax in the 37th minute. Brynjólfur Willumsson made it 1-2 to FC Groningen in the 49th minute. Julian Brandt made it 1-3 to Ajax in the 60th minute, set up by Owen Wijndal. Jorthy Mokio made it 1-4 to Ajax in the 69th minute. Jorthy Mokio made it 1-5 to Ajax in the 75th minute, set up by Davy Klaassen. Thom van Bergen made it 2-5 to FC Groningen in the 83rd minute.
It was 0-2 at half-time.
Julian Brandt scored twice.
Jorthy Mokio scored twice.
The referee, D. Higler, showed 3 yellow cards: 1 to FC Groningen and 2 to Ajax. Davy Klaassen missed a penalty for Ajax in the 10 minute. Thom van Bergen missed a penalty for FC Groningen in the 90 minute.
FC Groningen: D. Lukkien, 4-2-3-1 · Ajax: M. Sánchez Muñoz, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 3.21 for FC Groningen and 2.25 for Ajax.
FC Groningen scored about 1.2 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.
Ajax made more of their chances than the xG suggests, by about 2.8 goals.
FC Groningen created the better chances, 3.21 xG to 2.25, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
FC Groningen had 5 shots on target, Ajax 11.
FC Groningen had 50% of the ball, but Ajax took the points.
Where the two sides stood before this match
FC Groningen came into it with 10 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 2.4 and conceding 2.1 a match, with 1.60 expected goals for and 2.02 against, and had won 40% of their matches.
Ajax came into it with 9 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 3.0 and conceding 1.3 a match, with 2.67 expected goals for and 1.25 against, and had won 56% of their matches.
FC Groningen vs Ajax: the match in numbers
| FC Groningen | Match statistics | Ajax |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | Ball possession | 50% |
| 3.21 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.25 |
| 16 | Total shots | 15 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 11 |
| 3 | Big chances | 6 |
| 437 | Total passes | 445 |
| 86% | Pass accuracy | 87% |
| 7 | Corners | 4 |
| 12 | Fouls | 17 |
| 1 | Offsides | 4 |
| 18 | Tackles | 14 |
| 4 | Saves | 3 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Jorthy Mokio (Ajax), rated 8.4 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals.
FC Groningen
- Pelle Clement 7.2
- Brynjólfur Willumsson 7.1 1 goal
- Tygo Land 6.7
- Thom van Bergen 6.7 1 goal
- Wouter Prins 6.6
Ajax
- Jorthy Mokio 8.4 2 goals
- Julian Brandt 8.2 2 goals
- Dies Janse 7.3
- Aaron Bouwman 7.3 1 goal
- Davy Klaassen 7.1 1 assist
The lowest-rated starter was Etienne Vaessen at 5.8. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- FC Groningen: FC Groningen vs Sparta Rotterdam Sunday 1 November 2026 · Eredivisie
- Ajax: Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax Sunday 25 October 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 FC Groningen vs Ajax
What was the score in FC Groningen vs Ajax?
FC Groningen 2-5 Ajax (half-time 0-2), Eredivisie, Sunday 18 October 2026.
Who scored in FC Groningen vs Ajax?
Julian Brandt 27', Aaron Bouwman 37', Brynjólfur Willumsson 49', Julian Brandt 60', Jorthy Mokio 69', Jorthy Mokio 75', Thom van Bergen 83'.
Did Moneyball predict FC Groningen vs Ajax correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in FC Groningen vs Ajax?
Jorthy Mokio, rated 8.4 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed FC Groningen vs Ajax?
D. Higler.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds 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 Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.