Under the watchful eye of assistant coach Lesly de Sa, his team Ajax U14 secured victory in the KNVB Cup final, marking his first trophy in his career as a coach. At sports complex De Toekomst, Ajax U14 proved too strong for their peers from AZ, winning 2-0. A convincing second half made the difference in this exciting cup final.

The first half was evenly matched. Ajax and AZ were well balanced, played with courage, and looked for openings, but goals remained elusive. A logical 0-0 score was on the board at halftime.

After the break, Ajax stepped up their game. The opening goal was scored by Fernandes, who skillfully found the net via the post. Not long after, Stolk doubled the lead with a powerful long-range shot. AZ could no longer find a way through the Amsterdam defense, securing the cup victory for Ajax U14.

Lesly de Sa: “Finals are matches that stay with you”

Assistant coach Lesly de Sa spoke proudly about his team's performance afterwards: “The boys have trained hard every single day to achieve this. Today, we delivered this performance as a team. Each and every one of them worked incredibly hard, and that’s great to see.”

For De Sa, himself a former Ajax player, the final brought back memories of his own youth. “Finals are special matches. When I look back on my time in Ajax's youth academy, those are the moments I still sometimes talk about with former teammates. You don’t forget games like these.”

The cup victory feels like the crowning moment of a season full of commitment: “It’s a beautiful day to play a final. This win is a reward for all the hard work we’ve put in as a group.”

‍