“My first time” — Promise David reflects on handling noise against Ajax

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria youth international Promise David has shared his experience of coping with the intense atmosphere during a heartbreaking European night against Ajax in the Europa League.

David, who has been making waves in his debut season with Union Saint-Gilloise, was on target in the match, but his efforts weren’t enough to keep his side in the competition as Ajax secured their spot in extra time, despite losing 2-1 at home—a rare defeat for them at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

David, born to Nigerian parents in Canada, opened up about the unique challenge of playing in such a charged environment.

Reflecting on the match, which was his first experience in such an intense atmosphere, he said, “This was honestly my first time playing in a match like this.”

“My team and coach told me to prepare for the noise and I did. Yet, once on the pitch, everything else faded into focus. But when the whistle blows you kind of just zone out and start doing your thing,” David told UEFA.com.

Despite Ajax’s numerical disadvantage, David and his teammates continued to apply pressure, always believing they could make a comeback.

“We always believed we were going to come back and win. From the beginning, we were putting them under a lot of pressure; that was our intention,” he added.

David acknowledged the difficulty of breaking down Ajax’s defense, particularly after they had gone a man down, but remained optimistic about his side’s efforts.

“They knew they were a man down so they basically parked the bus and we just had to keep moving the ball around,” he explained.

“We did generate a few chances from crosses, but I just thought we had to find different solutions than we did in the first half.”

Despite the defeat, David’s maturity and composure in the face of such a high-pressure situation highlight his potential as a rising star in European football.