Tolu Arokodare scored his fifth goal of the season but could not prevent Ajax from suffering a 3-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven in Saturday's Eredivisie clash.

The Nigerian striker has been in outstanding form since arriving at Ajax on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, now scoring in four consecutive matches and netting in back-to-back Eredivisie games.

How the goals fell

PSV drew first blood in the 5th minute when Ricardo Pepi headed home after Ruben van Bommel nodded on a deep cross from Ivan Perišić.

Arokodare levelled in the 23rd minute with a composed low right-footed finish from the centre of the box that found the far corner.

PSV restored their advantage in first-half added time, with Lutsharel Geertruida volleying into the far corner to make it 2-1 at the break.

Any hope of an Ajax comeback was extinguished in the 92nd minute when Esmir Bajraktarević finished calmly on a fast break — assisted by Sven Mijnans — to seal a 3-1 win for the visitors.

Table standings

The victory sends PSV to the top of the Eredivisie table with 13 points from five matches, while Ajax sit fifth on seven points from four games played.

Super Eagles picture

Arokodare's rich vein of form has put him firmly in the conversation for a Super Eagles return. After a difficult period at Wolverhampton Wanderers — where goals were hard to come by and relegation followed — the 25-year-old has rediscovered his sharpness in the Netherlands.

He earned his first Super Eagles call-up in March 2025 and marked his debut on the 21st of that month with a 2-0 away win over Rwanda. He then scored his first international goal in a 1-1 friendly draw with Russia on June 6, 2025.

His most recent appearance for Nigeria ended in heartbreak — a CAF play-off final loss to DR Congo in November 2025 that ended the country's 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes.

With competition for striking places fierce, consistent goals at a high-profile club like Ajax offer Arokodare a clear route back into coach Eric Chelle's plans, particularly as Nigeria look ahead to 2027 AFCON qualifying.