0803.html
Ajax solid and refreshing in 0-0 draw with Lazio
03 August: It seemed ages ago... On the first day of the
Amsterdam Tournament at the Amsterdam ArenA 35,000
spectators were reticent at first, got noisier along the
way and ended up giving 'their' Ajax an ovation.
Of course: Lazio Roma played without stars such as Veron,
Crespo, Simeone and Nesta, but they did have Lombardo,
Salas, Stankovic, Nedved, Mihajlovic and Ravanelli on their
team. An international top-class team indeed, that would
probably have strangled last season's Ajax without much
trouble. In this seasons' first big test case at home, however,
the only thing Ajax did wrong was forgetting to score.
Building a good football team starts in the back. If
the line-up is an indication of Co Adriaanse's favorite
starting line-up Bogdan Lobont will take over an insecure
Fred Grim's spot in goal. The Romanian was alert,
easily saving the only somewhat dangerous shot fired in
his direction: a sharply driven cross by Pavel Nedved in the
second half. Tomás Galásek was missing in the
heart of defense, but the Czech might not get his spot back
just like that, as Vierklau, Chivu and Bergdølmo formed
a rock-solid defense, the key difference with last
year.
In midfield Aron Winter played his best game since he
returned to Amsterdam. In the left-midfield zone, John O'Brien
seems to have conquered a spot in the team, but he will be
setting off for the Olympic Games in Sydney,
Australia, shortly. The Ajax
fans, meanwhile, were the most delighted by the
wingers: beautiful, sassy, traditional Ajax wingers from the
youth system. Kevin Bobson is as alluring as he is
unpredictable. He missed one of Ajax' best chances after some
30 minutes, having smoothly slipped past two opponents from the
left flank. He was too hasty in trying to beat
goalkeeper Marchegiani.
The official 'Man Of The Match' however, was right-winger
Andy van der Meyde, who was unstoppable for Pesaresi (who
was sent off in the last minute for hitting Cedric van der Gun
in the face). Van der Meyde is a typical Ajax winger, with
'sideline-chalk on his boots', Van 't Schip-like eruptions of
brilliance and a beautiful, powerful cross. He had almost
scored the winning goal, too, as his shot hit the back of
a teammate and almost surprised Marchegiani.
More Ajax danger came from Shota Arveladze, who nearly
fumbled a Winter cross into the net, but Marchegiani
miraculously found himself sitting on the ball, in a
chaotic scrimmage on the goal line.
At the other end Lazio hardly created any danger.
Considering the strikers they were playing with (Ravanelli, De
La Peña and Salas) the Ajax defenders did a
marvellous job. "Ajax is a very good team", said Lazio
Roma boss Sven Gøran Eriksson, "they played
better than us. We defended badly and were lucky Ajax did
not score." Isn't it nice to hear the manager of the champion
of Italy say such things again?
NO GOALS
Ajax line-up: Lobont; Vierklau, Chivu,
Bergdølmo (60. De Cler); Winter, Witschge, Knopper (69.
Van der Gun), O'Brien; Van der Meyde, Arveladze (79.
Hosé), Bobson (81. Grønkjær).
Second game:
FC Barcelona - Arsenal 2-1
(1-0 Guardiola (penalty), 1-1 Danilevicius, 2-1 Cocu)
