Maarten Paes Makes 7 Saves on His Ajax Debut

INVERSI.ID - Indonesian National Team Goalkeeper, Maarten Paes, finally made his debut for Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch League 2025/2026 season. Playing at Johan Cruyff Arena stadium early Sunday morning WIB, Ajax settled for a 1-1 draw against NEC Nijmegen.

Quoted from the Dutch League website, Mika Godts put the hosts ahead first (39') before Nijmegen equalized through Darko Nejasmic's goal (57').

This result leaves Nijmegen in third place with 43 points, while Ajax sits fourth with equal points but inferior goal difference.

Paes was immediately trusted as starter. The 27-year-old goalkeeper faced pressure in the 24th minute when Sami Ouaissa breached his goal. However, the goal was disallowed after VAR review confirmed Ouaissa was offside.

Ajax took the lead late in the first half. An organized attack by the home squad was successfully finished by Mika Godts in the 39th minute. The 1-0 score held until halftime.

Entering the second half, NEC Nijmegen appeared more aggressive. The away team's attacking intensity increased and finally paid off in the 57th minute. Darko Nejasmic scored the equalizer to make it 1-1. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

Football statistics site Fotmob recorded that Marten Paes performed well with seven saves. Additionally, he completed 27 successful passes out of 51 attempts (53% accuracy).

Overall, Maarten Paes' debut with Ajax Amsterdam showed positive contributions, particularly in maintaining defensive stability. Though failing to secure three points, Paes' individual performance became one of the match highlights.