Albion have taken control of their own destiny in the Europa League after another historic night for the club.
If beating the four-time European champions at the Amex a fortnight ago was a standout result to do so again in the Johan Cruyff Arena felt even better.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have learned quickly at this level. They were clinical when the chances came with Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra scoring the goals and they managed the game like European veterans, despite losing James Milner, Lewis Dunk and Pervis Estupinan to injury.
At the end the only noise inside the cavernous arena was thousands of Albion fans belting out 'Albion' and 'Sussex by the Sea' as De Zerbi and his players took the acclaim. For all concerned, it was truly an unforgettable evening with the prospect of even more such occasions ahead as Albion went top of Group B.
Man of the match? Good luck choosing one but for Joel Veltman to make a winning return to Amsterdam must have made it a special night.
There were four changes to the side which drew at Everton but Albion were forced into an early reshuffle when Milner had to go off in the eighth minute and Pascal Gross slotted in at left back.
Bart Verbruggen comfortably dealt with long-range efforts from Steven Berghuis shot and Kristian Hylnnson but it was a cagey opening, although Albion saw a lot of the ball and when Ajax blundered in the 15th minute the Adingra- Fati combination unlocked them just as they had a fortnight ago at the Amex.
Under no pressure, Silvano Vos gave the ball to Adingra who spotted Fati’s run between two defenders and played a perfectly weighted pass which Fati took in his stride, before finishing coolly into the bottom left-hand corner.
Joao Pedro was booked for flicking Josip Sutalo with his arm but moments later the Brazilian wasted a great opportunity when he blazed over from just outside the D having won the ball on the halfway line.
Ajax got into some promising attacking positions and the physicality of no.9 Brian Brobbey certainly tested Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke on occasions, but Albion kept them at arm’s length in the first half and nearly doubled their lead just before the break. Adingra was involved again, this time swapping passes with Joao in the box before forcing Diant Ramaj to save with his outstretched left leg at his near post.
Dunk didn’t reappear for the second half with Igor Julio replacing him and wearing the captain’s armband.
Joao had his head in his hands five minutes into the second half after going past three defenders and firing into the side netting from an acute angle, but a second Albion goal wasn’t far away. Fati ran at a defence who didn’t seem interested in engaging him and again the weight of pass was perfect for Adingra to drill past Ramaj from about six yards into the far corner before leading the celebrations in front of the Albion fans high in the stadium.
Ramaj was nearly caught out by Gross’s inswinging corner, which the keeper flipped over the bar, as Albion sought to kill Ajax off and it needed a last-ditch clearance by Sutalo to prevent Fati from shooting at goal. Another break saw Mitoma get away down the left but with Evan Ferguson unmarked he elected to shoot and fired well over the bar.
Albion had a stroke of luck on 74 minutes when Brobbey’s volley beat Verbruggen and hit the right-hand post, rolled along the line and struck the inside of the left-hand upright before Joel Veltman and van Hecke smuggled it clear.
Ajax were threatening for the first time in the game and Igor made a crucial block when Carlos Borges was played in before Verbruggen did well to beat away Steven Bergwijn’s shot from 12 yards.
But the storm, such as it was, blew itself out and Albion saw the last few minutes out comfortably. What a night!
Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk (Igor Julio 45), van Hecke, Milner (Gilmour 8), Gross, Dahoud (Estupinan 65 (Baleba 77)), Adingra, Mitoma, Fati (Ferguson 65), Joao Pedro.
Unused subs: Steele, McGill, Webster, Lallana, Buonanotte, Hinshelwood, Duffus.
Referee: Nikola Dabanovic