Super Eagles’ Calvin Bassey gets red card 16 minutes into Ajax debut

The Nigerian international was brought on in the 63rd minute as Ajax welcomed PSV Eindhoven to the Johan Cruyff Arena as both sides battled for the Johan Cruyff Shield.

Calvin Bassey was named on the Ajax team sheet for the first time as the Alfred Schreuder-led side welcomed PSV for the customary Dutch league season curtain-raiser.

In the 62nd minute, the Nigerian international was brought on in place of Owen Wijndal with Ajax playing a 2-2 draw with the visitors at the time.

Bassey had an eventful debut as PSV scored two goals in seven minutes after the former Rangers defender stepped on the field.

Cody Gakpo (65′) and Guus Til (69′) grabbed a quick-fire double to put PSV ahead for the second time in the game.

Ghanaian forward Mohammed Kudus quickly reduced the deficit back to one for Ajax with his 72nd-minute effort to take the goal-filled encounter to 4-3.

In the 78th minute, Bassey lunged into a clumsy tackle on Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari, catching the PSV substitute on the ankle with his studs up.

The referee initially showed the Super Eagles defender only a yellow card but after going to review the challenge on the pitch-side monitor, he upgraded it to a red card.

Thus, Bassey played only 16 minutes for Ajax, during which he had 16 touches of the ball and completed 90% of his passes.

The Nigerian international also won two (2) of his four (4) duels while putting in three (3) crosses.

Ajax went on to lose the match 5-3 after former Barcelona starlet Xavi Simons scored in the 92nd minute to out the game out of the hosts’ reach.