Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag left Germany with mixed feelings after Tuesday’s unexpected 1-1 draw for his youthful team at Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Ajax fell behind early to a Mats Hummels header but then equalised through Moroccan fullback Noussair Mazraoui to move to four points from their two Group E games and with real hopes of advancing to the knockout phase.
Ten Hag, however, was disappointed at his side not being able to become the first Dutch side to win at Bayern after they had the better of the chances. “On the one hand, I’m really satisfied but on the other, this was a game we could and should have won,” ten Hag, a former reserve team coach at Bayern, told reporters after the stalemate against the misfiring German champions. 
“We laid down a really good achievement, right from the start of the game. We have a good team but we need to mature a bit more, but we were full of enthusiasm and willingness.”
Bayern struggled to build on their advantage and their recent slump continued as they battled to keep a vibrant Ajax at bay. “Bayern really struggled with the fact that we were constantly chasing the ball,” ten Hag added. 
“And where we could, we try to play good football. But it’s a real pity we didn’t make it 2-1, the team functioned super. This sort of game gives the youngsters more self-confidence. Now they just have to convert their chances. But this was a confirmation of what this team is capable of. We have quality players, who together can reach great heights.” 
Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovacs said his team must keep it simple if they are to regain their dominant early season form. 
“We must go back to the basics, get stuck into the duels, play fewer bad passes and let the ball flow,” the Croat demanded, pointing to Ajax as an example to follow. 
“Our opponent showed us how to do it. Now we have to look to display our face again, which saw us to wins in the first seven games of the season.”
The draw means the usually consistent and dominant German champions have gone three games without a win after being held by Augsburg and beaten by Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga. “It’s not what we imagined, that’s not what I personally imagined, and this was certainly not a good match for us,” Kovac told reporters as he criticised the performance.
“We played negatively, our opponent was first to every second ball, we just played too many bad passes, we wanted too much, too fast in the build-up and so lose the ball and then confidence.”
Bayern began their Champions League Group E campaign with a 2-0 away win over Benfica and share top spot with Ajax on four points, but their immediate concern is finding form when they host Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday. 
Bayern are second in the standings, one point behind leaders Borussia Dortmund after six matches.