Ajax Suffers Shocking Loss to Hercules

Ajax Amsterdam's difficult season has taken a turn for the worse after suffering one of the biggest shocks in its history, losing 3-2 to amateur team Hercules from the fourth division in the Round of 32 of the Dutch Cup on Thursday. After trailing 2-0 in Utrecht with 82 minutes played, it seemed Ajax had salvaged the match when Brian Brobbey and Chuba Akpom scored two late goals to level the score. However, Hercules scored the winning goal through Mats Grutenberg in the third minute of stoppage time, despite their coach Rene van der Kuijg estimating his team's chances of winning at around two percent before the match. Ajax coach John van Schip was not present to witness his team's loss as he was in Australia for his son's wedding. This marks the first time Ajax has lost to an amateur team in the Dutch Cup, having previously won all 29 encounters against such teams, scoring at least four goals each time. Ajax spent the first part of this season in the relegation zone but has since climbed to fifth place in the Dutch league, although they are 23 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.