Ajax were held to a goalless draw by ADO Den Haag, dealing a blow to Ajax's chances of catching PSV Eindhoven at the top of the table.
With Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven not in action until later on Sunday, Erik ten Hag's Ajax had the chance to close the gap at the top to two points - temporarily at least - as they entertained ADO Den Haag at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.
The visitors' chances didn't look good at the start of the game - Ajax were on a thirteen-game unbeaten run and had not lost against their guests since 2011, but Den Haag had held their opponents to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture earlier this season and a combination of some stubborn defending, some inspired goalkeeping, and a below-par performance from the home side saw them earn another point.
Ajax had plenty of possession in the first half but struggled to convert their dominance into clear-cut chances. Tame efforts from Justin Kluivert and David Neres were all Ajax had to show from the first 45 minutes.
The pace picked up in the second half, allowing Den Haag to have their best period, but again the end product was missing, Bjorn Johnsen failing to test Andre Onana just after the hour mark. Ajax's best football came in the last third of the game, but they could not find a way through.
