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Match Report: Ajax 2, RBC 0

RBC too weak to cause Ajax "youth" team any trouble

22 September: Ajax-1 looked like a youth team, this Friday evening, as Co Adriaanse had to miss out on Arveladze and Galásek due to injuries, and decided to leave Witschge and Winter out of the team. "I expect experienced players to stand up if the team's in trouble", the Ajax coach explained, lining up four under-20 youngsters. This young, fragile Ajax team had a blatantly bad first half and did reasonably well in the second. Which was, apparently, enough to secure a 2-0 victory over miserably poor Eredivisie debutantees RBC: 2-0.

The 34,000 in the ArenA had to wait for relief for over a full hour, as Cristian Chivu excellently slammed his head against a Raphael van der Vaart corner kick, to make it 1-0. RBC crashed and did not resurrect. Jesper Grønkjær secured the victory, by pushing a perfect Van der Gun cross into the net with his left (73). After that, Ajax could even have make the score look pretty good: Grønkjær failed to score his second by heading against the cross-bar instead of finishing easily, and could not do better than lifting the ball straight into goalkeeper Dijkstra's hands a few minutes later. A low Chivu shot was just tipped past the far post by the RBC goalkeeper.

Ajax could have made it 4-0, maybe 5-0 in the last fifteen minutes. It would have been far too much. The dismantled Ajax team started nervously, in a boring first half, about which it is almost impossible to say something interesting, except that former Feyenoord striker Henk Vos missed the best chance for RBC, as he showed up all alone, right in front of Fred Grim. Ajax' young centre-forward Daniël Cruz, who made a good impression in his first game, could not finish in the only situation that could be described as a chance for Ajax. The reaction of the dissatisfied crowd at half-time was a bit harsh, considering the fact that this Ajax team was probably the most unexperienced Ajax team in many years. They did better after the break - pretty good, by fits and starts.

Co Adriaanse's decision to punish a number of experienced players by leaving them out of the squad, was risky, indeed. But wasn't that the attitude the crowd has been asking for, over the last three seasons? Nevertheless, it's realistic to admit that RBC from Roosendaal is almost definitely the weakest team in this year's Eredivisie. This victory does not mean too much; it was obligatory. The second UEFA Cup leg against AA Ghent is next - and after that, Ajax can demonstrate how good - or bad - they really are. The month of October brings away games against Champions' League participants SC Heerenveen and PSV and UEFA Cup participant Vitesse. If Ajax' away game trauma continues for one more month, the team will be in deep misery in just thirty days from now. (MP)

GOALS

• 62' 1-0 Cristian Chivu
• 73' 2-0 Jesper Grønkjær

Referee: Bossen
Bookings: Bergdølmo (Ajax)
Attendance: 34,000

Ajax line-up: Grim; Bergdølmo, Pasanen, De Cler; Van der Gun, Chivu, Knopper (85. Nieuwenburg), Van der Vaart; Van der Meyde (72. Winter), Cruz (67. Hosé), Grønkjær.

RBC line-up: Dijkstra; Kuiper (40. Douglas), Cas, Keller, Bakboord; Heerkens, Heije (74. Van Galen), Brunswijk (84. Stassin), Cales; Hertog, Vos.