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Match Report: Ajax concedes bitter home loss to rival Feyenoord

	David Connolly celebrates with Feyenoord reserve keeper Malkowski, Brett Emerton and others. [source: ANP]

The conditions for the 'Classic' between Ajax and Feyenoord seemed better than ever: a beautiful, warm summer day, a perfect pitch, a fabulous atmosphere, a completely sold-out Amsterdam ArenA, Cristian Chivu returning in the team and an opponent afflicted by injuries and bad results: five out the six previous games were lost. But football can be illogical and cruel. What was supposed to become a glorious afternoon and a decisive jump to the second position, became the worst thinkable nightmare for Ajax.

Feyenoord's 3-4 win was their first in Amsterdam since 1987, making for the first time since 1985-1986 Ajax lost both league games against their Rotterdam arch-rivals. But, worse than its historic significance, the result is almost certainly the deathblow for Ajax' ambitions to finish second in the Eredivisie and qualify directly for the Champions League.

Where did it go so horribly wrong? The first omens were already there in the last ten minutes of the first half, as Ajax had a 2-1 lead, but seemed to lose concentration, allowing Feyenoord to take control on midfield. Fifteen minutes to talk about the slackening over a cup of tea did not have the desired effect. Feyenoord was the most dangerous team in the second half, in which a dramatic fifteen minutes saw Ajax' collapse in dramatic fashion. Defenders Chivu and Pasanen did not communicate, Yakubu was overrun by Feyenoord's 'super sub', Brazilian striker Leonardo, but it was especially the left flank of Ajax' defense that got ripped apart.

It was unbelievable to see that the three goals that brought Feyenoord the victory were almost identical: three times in a row, a simple thru-pass over the right flank was enough to rip Tim de Cler's side of the defense apart, providing two or three Feyenoord runners a completely unhindered walk towards Fred Grim. David Connolly pulled back to Leonardo to tip in (61), Brett Emerton provided Connolly a similar assist five minutes later (66) and the third time Jon Dahl Tomasson just decided to finish himself (74). A devastating knock-out. The Ajax defense seemed to have taken the day off.

It had all started so promising an hour earlier. Cristian Chivu's fifth minute header against the cross-bar underscored Ajax' determination. Even the fact that Irish striker, David Connolly, put Feyenoord in the lead from their very first, brilliantly executed counter-attack (7) did not seem to bother Ajax. A superb Ikedia and Arveladze combination brought the latter in position to equalize (12). Arveladze's second, a low shot after brilliant combination play through the heart of Feyenoord's defense, put Ajax on its way. "We gave everything away in the first half", said Feyenoord coach, Bert van Marwijk. "I was happy it was only 2-1 at half-time. We were overrun by Ajax."

A third Ajax goal would probably have caused Feyenoord to collapse, but a tricky Galásek shot was saved by Dudek, Yakubu hesitated too long in an open scoring position and a Van der Gun run through the centre was blocked by Emerton just before the Ajacied fired from close range. Ajax played well for half an hour.

What a difference with the second half, in which Feyenoord could have scored more goals than they did. A Tomasson run over the right flank should have resulted in the fourth almost identical goal for the Rotterdammers. Arveladze's third goal of the afternoon was again of stunning beauty: he received the ball on his chest and volleyed into the far corner (85). But the goal came too late, even though Ajax created two more chances. Half-time substiute Andy van der Meyde (miserably poor again) should have done better than firing over the cross-bar. The second sub, Rafaël van der Vaart, could (or should) have equalized in the very last minute, but aimed too high as well.

The crowd, in the mean time, reacted furiously to a few dubious decisions by referee Jol, who showed Van der Vaart a mistaken yellow card for diving. But Ajax did not lose because of the few errors Jol made. Ajax lost because of its numerous defensive howlers in the second half. Traditionally, Feyenoord was physically stronger than the fragile Amsterdam team. Ajax is usually smarter. This time, Feyenoord seemed both stronger and smarter.

Looking at the play and the club philosophy, Ajax has made a few modest steps in the right direction this year, but the results have not improved. They even deteriorated. After the devastating come-down against Feyenoord it's become time to sum up the real facts. Ajax has 55 points after 31 games; last season they had three more. The four clashes with PSV and Feyenoord only brought one point; the last time it was that bad was in 1985-1986. The Amstel Cup campaign lasted only one round (just like last year) and Ajax stumbled in the second round of the UEFA Cup (last year they made it to the third), against a Swiss small-timer. For six weeks, Ajax has had the chances to leapfrog Feyenoord, but failed.

Ajax is third, and can stay there if they make no more mistakes. The third place would allow Ajax to play Champions League qualifiers. They had that chance last season, too, until the very last game. It didn't happen. The home game against Vitesse, this Thursday, may well be the last chance for Ajax to make this season a little better than the last, after all. For the large part, the season 2000-2001 has turned out to be the third act of a long tragedy. It hurts. And it makes Ajax fans desperately wonder when it will stop. (MP)

GOALS

• 06' 0-1 David Connolly
• 12' 1-1 Shota Arveladze
• 18' 2-1 Shota Arveladze
• 61' 2-2 Leonardo
• 66' 2-3 David Connolly
• 73' 2-4 Jon Dahl Tomasson
• 85' 3-4 Shota Arveladze

Referee: Jol
Yellow cards: Yakubu, Witschge, Van der Vaart (Ajax), Merton, Tomasson, Connolly and Dudek (Feyenoord)
Attendance: 52,123
Ajax line-up: Grim; Yakubu, Pasanen, Chivu (79. Van der Vaart), De Cler; Galásek, Van der Gun (46. Van der Meyde), Witschge; Ikedia, Arveladze. Wamberto (77. Machlas).
Feyenoord line-up: Dudek; Emerton, Van Gobbel, De Haan, Van Wonderen, Tininho; Paauwe, Tomasson, De Visser (46. Leonardo); Kalou (87. Van Gastel), Connolly.