Amsterdam, Netherlands – Dutch-Ghanaian forward Don-Angelo Konadu made a game-changing impact off the bench as Jong Ajax edged Excelsior 3-2 in a thrilling Eerste Divisie encounter at Sportpark De Toekomst.

Excelsior struck first in the 22nd minute when Ryan van de Pavert inadvertently turned the ball into his own net. However, Jong Ajax roared back in the second half, with Ahmetcan Kaplan drilling home the equalizer in the 53rd minute before Rayane Bounida’s stunning curler put them ahead just four minutes later.

Excelsior responded swiftly as Ilias Bronkhorst leveled the score in the 60th minute, setting up a tense finale. But it was Konadu, introduced at halftime, who proved decisive in the 81st minute, setting up Skye Vink for the winner with a well-placed assist.

The victory narrowed Jong Ajax’s head-to-head deficit against Excelsior to three wins against six. With momentum on their side, they now turn their attention to a crucial clash against ADO Den Haag on February 14.