Kudus features as Haller's goal propels Ajax to victory over Waalwijk

Black Stars midfielder, Mohammed Kudus was in action as Ajax handed Waalwijk a 1-0 home defeat in the Eredivisie, courtesy of a first-half goal from Cote d'Ivoire striker Sebastien Haller.

Still on a mission to recapture his starting place for the Lancers, the 20-year-old midfielder contributed as a second-half substitute as his side grabbed all three points in the fixture at Mandemakers Stadium.

It was his 12th appearance and his seventh second-half outing for Erik ten Hag's outfit since joining the club last summer.

While Kudus has two goals and three assists from his previous matches for Ajax, Haller on the other hand, took advantage of Sunday's game to increase his goals tally, his strike sending him to eight goals in 13 Eredivisie outings since joining from West Ham United in January. He also has five assists to his name.

Ajax, with a game in hand, stands 11 points clear at the top of the table, ahead of PSV, AZ Alkmaar, Vitesse Arnhem, and Feyenoord, who sit from second to fifth in that order.

The decisive goal of Sunday's match came in the 14th minute when Dusan Tadic's cross into the box was directed into the net by the Ivorian.

Whereas Kudus was introduced into the game in place of Davy Klaassen in the 53rd minute, Haller lasted for the duration of the matchday 29 fixture.

Burkina Faso striker Lassina Traore and Morocco winger Oussama Iddrissi, on the other hand, were both unused substitutes for Ajax.

Morocco duo Zakaria Labyad and Noussair Mazraoui were completely missing from the Lancers' matchday squad, same as Ghana target and Netherlands U21 striker Brian Brobbey.

Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana was also out of Ajax's squad as he continues to serve a 12-month Uefa suspension for the use of a banned substance.

Kudus has struggled to break into Ajax's starting set-up since suffering a meniscus injury on his Champions League debut against Liverpool last October.

After the setback, he resumed training in December and completed his comeback as a substitute against PSV Eindhoven during a league game in January, but a relapse forced him back into the treatment room for more than a month.