Abdellah Ouazane scored his first goal in the Eredivisie on Sunday during Ajax’s 2-2 draw against Heerenveen, in the second round of the championship. Starting on the left wing, the 17-year-old Moroccan international doubled the Amsterdammers’ lead in the 33rd minute with a powerful long-range shot that found the top corner. However, Heerenveen equalized thanks to Jacob Trenskow just before halftime, and then Maxence Rivera in the 82nd minute. Ouazane left the pitch five minutes later.
Despite the beauty of his goal, the Moroccan did not try to hide his dissatisfaction. “It was a beautiful goal, but I was not at all satisfied with my match. It simply has to be much better,” he acknowledged to ESPN. He explained that he had difficulty celebrating due to his overall performance. Regarding the dipping trajectory of his shot, Ouazane admitted he was inspired by his brother Zakaria, whose main quality is hitting the ball hard while bringing it down.
Usually more comfortable in the center, Ouazane also discussed his adaptation to the left winger position. The young Ajax player prefers to receive the ball at his feet and take on his opponent one-on-one rather than making deep runs. Nevertheless, he assures that he understands the expectations of Míchel Sánchez, with whom he communicates in English. When asked about the many changes in his young career, he explained that the failure of his transfer to Real Madrid taught him that everything can change in 24 hours, or even in just a few minutes. This experience now allows him to prepare for all situations.
Míchel Sánchez was much more positive than his player. The Ajax coach believes that Ouazane is already ready to meet the demands of the first team, while reminding that he still needs to improve his off-the-ball movement. “He scored a fantastic goal and had a good performance. I am very happy for him. He will become a great player,” assured the Spanish technician. Steven Berghuis also praised his profile, describing him as a true Ajax player, capable of progressing with the ball at his feet and naturally closer to a midfielder than a winger.
