Ajax started the 2021/202 Eredivisie season on a roll. They scored sixteen points in their first six league games, with the team from Amsterdam conceding just one goal. After just six rounds, Ten Hag's team goal tally was already at 27, a unique event this century. The highlight of this spectacular start to the league happened on 18 September, when Ajax managed to beat Cambuur 9-0 at home.
The tenth round saw them facing the crucial match against PSV. Midweek, Ajax played Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. The German team was outclassed in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and the Ajax players carried their high spirits on over to De Topper - the longstanding rivalry between Ajax and PSV. Ajax played a really strong game and beat the team from Eindhoven 5-0. The run of good luck didn't last, though - in the games which followed they lost points twice in a row. On a visit to Heracles Almelo, and at home against Go Ahead Eagles, the Amsterdam players managed nothing better than a 0-0 draw.
Ten Hag's team soon recovered and went on to win three games in a row without conceding a goal. Back on home turf, things went wrong again for the Amsterdam team, Ajax losing 2-1 to AZ. Although Ajax players ended the year well with victories over Feyenoord (2-0) and Fortuna Sittard (5-0), rivals PSV held the coveted crown through the winter months.
Brian Brobbey was brought back to Amsterdam on loan during the winter break. The twenty-year-old striker took the place of Sébastien Haller as centre forward in the early weeks following the winter break, as the Ivorian was representing his home nation in the Africa Cup. Just as at the start of the season, the Ajax team also got off to a strong start in the second half. Brobbey immediately proved his worth by scoring three times in the first two games of 2022. Following victories playing away to FC Utrecht (3-0) and PSV (2-1), Ajax continued their winning streak.
A visit to Go Ahead Eagles brought the winning streak of seven consecutive league games to a close. The Amsterdam team lost 2-1 in Deventer, but soon had their revenge. Although Ajax's game was less sparkling than at the start of the season, the points kept racking up, week in, week out. For instance, the team from Amsterdam won 3-2 away to Cambuur, thanks to a world-class goal from Ryan Gravenberch in the closing minutes, and Antony caused jubilation with his late goal in the major Dutch derby between Ajax and Feyenoord know as De Klassieker (3-2). Championship celebrations soon broke out following victory at home against SC Heerenveen on Wednesday, 11 May.
