‘This has always been my dream’: Kenneth Taylor fulfills childhood aspirations with late derby goal

Kenneth Taylor (22) has expressed that he is living out his dream after scoring a dramatic 94th-minute winner, sealing victory in the prestigious Klassieker between Ajax and Feyenoord.

In a tense match, Ajax, currently in second place, was on the brink of dropping valuable points against their fierce rivals Feyenoord when Taylor latched onto an Anton Gaaei cross, clinching a vital victory for his side.

The win was essential for Ajax as they chase the title, particularly after league leaders PSV stumbled in their match against NEC Nijmegen, allowing Ajax to close the gap to just two points while also holding a game in hand.

As a product of the Ajax academy, having joined the club at just eight years old, Taylor expressed that he has “always dreamed” of such a moment.

“I’ve always wanted to be the one to decide a Klassieker with a goal. It’s amazing that it happened in injury time,” he reflected.

After manager Francesco Farioli substituted Steven Berghuis, Taylor shifted to the left wing. As soon as Gaaei took possession, he began his run into the box.

“I know he has a fantastic delivery,” Taylor noted. “He can deliver perfectly accurate passes like that. My goal is 90 per cent Anton’s achievement. I just had to finish it off.”

Moments after scoring, Taylor was substituted but expressed relief that Farioli had not made the switch sooner. “I’m glad the coach kept me on. I did indicate that I was tiring.”

His goal has reignited Ajax’s title aspirations, drawing them to within two points of PSV, but Taylor and his teammates are wary about declaring any ambitions for the title.

“That might not be the Ajax way,” Taylor conceded. “But it also reflects how far we’ve come. At the start of the season, we said we would deem it a successful campaign if we qualified for the Champions League.”

“Yes, we don’t always perform well, if I’m to believe some of your reports. That’s true. However, we are putting in our utmost effort to win.”

This season has been a tumultuous one for Ajax, showcasing a series of challenges including an early cup exit, turmoil within the club, and even a spell at the bottom of the Eredivisie.

“So much went wrong last year. Thankfully, things are starting to turn in our favour now. If you look at Gaaei’s performance today, last season he was substituted in the first half against Feyenoord at home. Now he’s provided the assist for my winning goal. He might have felt some redemption.”