García reshuffles penalty takers as Ajax edge Utrecht in shootout

Ajax defeated FC Utrecht 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes. Head coach Óscar García revealed post-match that he altered the penalty taker list before the shootout.

García confirmed the adjustments during his press conference following the Dutch Cup tie. The changes contributed to Ajax’s successful shootout outcome against Utrecht.

The match ended level after extra time, forcing the penalty decider. Utrecht had equalized in the 78th minute through Othman Boussaid’s strike.

Ajax took the lead in the shootout with the first penalty converted by Steven Bergwijn. The final spot-kick was scored by Jurrien Timber.

FC Utrecht’s shootout ended with a miss from Sven van der Sloot, sealing Ajax’s progression.