Julian Brandt explained why he didn't celebrate his goal against Fortuna Sittard. The German midfielder opened the scoring for Ajax in their 5-1 win over Fortuna last Saturday, but his reaction was notably subdued.
"I wasn't very happy with my play yet; I had a few sloppy passes," Brandt said in an interview. "I wasn't happy, and this was more a moment to show my feelings rather than run around and celebrate with everyone." The 30-year-old, who joined on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, stressed that elaborate celebrations aren't his style. "Anyway, I'm not really the type to celebrate extensively. It was natural."
Context
Brandt's goal came in the 35th minute and set Ajax on their way to a convincing victory. Fortuna Sittard, managed by Danny Buijs, even equalised after half-time through Anthony Descotte, but Ajax finished strongly with goals from Thilo Kehrer, Davy Klaassen, Kasper Dolberg and Youri Baas. It was the second defeat in the last five games for Fortuna, who sit sixth in the Eredivisie with 13 points from seven matches. Their recent form is mixed with three wins and two losses.
For Fortuna, it was a tough evening against an Ajax side that, under Michel Sanchez, handled the compact defensive block well. This type of defensive organisation is a challenge Fortuna will face more often, both in the Eredivisie and in the UEFA Conference League. The team can review the full squad and prepare for the upcoming fixtures.
Fortuna Sittard's next assignment is a home game against FC Twente on October 10th. Twente currently sit fourth in the table, promising another stern test. Fortuna's last win came last week against Willem II, thanks to a late goal from Philip Brittijn.
Background and full detail: sports.yahoo.com
