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Sparta - Ajax 3-0 (0-0)
Ajax create an away game trauma
27 August: The last away game Ajax won was on 28 November 1999.
A good nine months ago. On that day Ajax won in Alkmaar with an
undeserved 1-2 victory over AZ. But that was Ajax with Jan
Wouters, an Ajax in trouble. We all know the story: Wouters got
sacked and Hans Westerhof took over his duties till the end of
the season. But he too wasn't able to win on a other pitch than
the ArenA one.
This summer Ajax made a brand new start with Co Adriaanse as
a head coach. He wanted to restore the Ajax image: he fitted in
more players from the Ajax youth, and changed the play style
from 4-4-2 to Ajax' famous 3-4-3. This new Ajax got good
results in the preparation of the season, and last week they
had a flashing start in the league with a 5-0 victory over
Fortuna. But that was in the Amsterdam ArenA, back home. This
Sunday Ajax had to play Sparta in Rotterdam, away. And also
this new Ajax wasn't able to bring the important three points
back to Amsterdam; not even one. Instead, Ajax lost 3-0.
One can ask whether the new Ajax is not so good as everyone
hoped, or is still suffering from a away game trauma. The
latter is more likely than the former. Ajax played like they
played against Fortuna last week, were dominant in the first
half, created loads of chances, but failed this time to score.
Especially Arveladze played like an actor with stage-fright.
His team mates, particularly Knopper, created huge chances for
him, but face to face with goalkeeper Kooiman from Sparta he
failed enormously. 'Arveladze missed three 100% chances',
Adriaanse stated afterwards and therefore substituted him at
half time. 'It's always a risk, but with Hosé I've got
another good striker'. But also Brutil Hosé in the
second half couldn't give Ajax what they needed, the relieving
first goal.
And if the best team doesn't score the goals, very often the
opposite team will at last. And so did Sparta. In the 66th
minute Sparta player Langerak scored out of one of Sparta's
first big chances. From that time on it was crystal clear that
Ajax wouldn't win the match anymore. If neither Arveladze nor
Hosé could score the goals, who would, they seemed to
think? The 2-0 (80') and 3-0 (82') by El Kahattabi and Marbus
made it even worse. But the worst thing was that Ajax missed
their own chances and, moreover, lost another away game.
(BV)
GOALS
- 66' 1-0 Langerak
- 80' 2-0 El Khattabi
- 82' 3-0 Marbus
Sparta line-up: Kooiman; Monteiro (85. Bezzai),
Marilia, Mendes da Silva en Goossen; Nielsen, Langerak, Zijm en
Boukhari (90. Stroeve); El Khattabi (89. Inia), Marbus.
Ajax line-up: Grim; Vierklau, Chivu en Bergdolmo;
Galasek, Witschge, Knopper en Winter; Van der Meyde (75. Van
der Gun), Arveladze (46. Hose), Bobson (75. Wamberto).
