Arokodare – The Quiet Giant Who Helped Excelsior Paint a Strange 2-2 Night Against Ajax

Tolu Arokodare's 78th-minute header did not just send the ball into the Ajax net; it tore apart a belief that all Rotterdam had prepared for defeat. Excelsior, the tiny club that spent most of the match digging in front of their own goal, suddenly stood tall, looked into the eyes of the Ajax giant, and smirked at a 2-2 scoreline. A result that seemed like magic was, according to coach Ruben den Uil himself, built on 'an enormous fighting spirit and a fair bit of luck'. He was right, painfully right. They call me a contrarian. I call them the crowd. And the crowd had unanimously predicted an easy away win for Ajax. They had reasons: a superior attack, terrifying squad depth, and a form that Den Uil himself described as 'totally different from a year ago' with 'an exceptional amount of quality, unprecedented even for the Eredivisie'. It sounded like a love letter from the weak to the strong, but it was actually a furious warning. Ajax arrived in Rotterdam with their mighty army, controlled the game, pinned Excelsior into their own half like a hunter cornering its prey. They led 2-1 as the match drifted into its final minutes. Then the ball found Arokodare. The name that, before the match, not many fans could remember. A towering centre-forward, coming off the bench, choosing his position like a diver choosing his depth, and rising above everyone to smash the ball into the Ajax net. In modern football, they call it Plan B. I call it desperation wrapped in velvet. Arokodare is not the fastest, not the most skilful, but he possesses something no tactic can teach: a physical presence that can change a match with a single leap. The crowd believes in the numbers. I believe in the pain on the pitch. Based on my experience watching Eredivisie matches, small teams often pay a heavy price when they start believing in upsets. Excelsior's fighting spirit is real, but how many times can it save them in a season? For the whole match, they dug in, surrendered control to Ajax, and waited for a moment. Arokodare gave them that moment. But a moment is not a system. It cannot be replicated every week. When the whole world loudly praises Excelsior's fighting spirit, my ears begin to ring with the echo of mistakes. People love fairy tales, but all I see is a lucky team that was not punished for its many flaws. Look again at Arokodare's equalizer. An innocuous-looking ball, a cross, and a shadow falling over Ajax's distracted defenders. It was beautiful, but it did not come from sustained pressure. It came from fatigue and from a bold substitution decision by Den Uil. He admitted Ajax had far more quality options, but he was the one who made the change that turned the match. In a one-off battle, that is the difference between a manager who dares to gamble and one who only prays. But make no mistake: I am not here to diminish Excelsior's achievement. I am here to point out that a result built on 'fighting spirit and a bit of luck' – as the coach himself admitted – resembles a winning lottery ticket more than a repeatable plan. Titles are not given to the luckiest teams; they are given to teams that create luck through consistent play. Ajax, despite slipping in Rotterdam, is still a much better foundation. Excelsior just earned a point, but they also exposed their true limits: a team that only defends and waits will soon face opponents who know how to tear that plan apart. I do not write to be loved; I write to be read. So, I will write these two teams a promise: let us meet again in five rounds. If Ajax are still at the top with their possession-based philosophy, they will prove that one distractive night was just an accident. As for Excelsior, if they keep betting on moments and luck, they will soon learn the lesson every underdog must learn: the ball never listens to flattery. Alan Shearer once said you make your own luck through daily work. Tonight, Excelsior tried to do that. But to survive a season, they need more than a name. They need a plan. Let the standings speak after ten rounds, and we will all see who is still smiling at the end of the season.