AZ ALKMAAR FORWARD Aron Johannsson is starting to look like the player who dazzled the Eredivisie during the 2013-14 season as he put on a Man of the Match performance on Thursday in a 1-0 win over Ajax.

Johannsson, 24, drew a red card and scored the game’s only goal to help AZ solidify its fifth-place standing in the Eredivisie. With 29 points through 21 games, the club is even on points with fourth place Feyenoord and only one point behind third place PEC Zwolle.

Johnson’s biggest contribution came in the 62nd minute when he took a pass and made a slick move to get by Ajax defender Niklas Moisander. As Johannsson moved toward goal Moisander tripped the Icelandic-American. As the final defender Moisander was given a red card to reduce Ajax to 10 men.

Then, in the 76th minute, Johannsson scored when he took a pass from Danish international Simon Poulsen and hammered a shot past Ajax keeper Jasper Cillessen for the game’s only goal. Johannsson has now scored in back-to-back contests following his goal in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Heracles.

It wasn't all good news, however. In the 84th minute, Johannsson found himself on the wrong end of a tackle and was forced out of the game with an ankle injury. Johannsson spent about a minute on the ground receiving medical treatment before he walked off the field under his own power.

Sources close to Johannsson told ASN after the game that the striker’s ankle was swollen but that the initial evaluation revealed nothing serious. A more exact diagnosis should be known today or over the weekend. As of now, it is believed that Johannsson will probably miss Sunday’s game away at Groningen but he should be back for the following game on February 13th at home against leaders PSV Eindhoven.

After undergoing surgeries to his ankle and groin during the offseason, Johannsson was not able to play for AZ this season until October 29th. Since his return, he has scored four goals in 11 appearances.