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Match Report: Ajax win 0-15; Witschge leaves training camp

Thursday, 19 July was a remarkable day for Ajax, not only because the team booked its largest victory so far in the preparation campaign (0-15 at Fourth Class amateur side, SV Vaassen) and not only because Zlatan 'only' managed to score twice this time.

There was more which made the 19th of July special. First of all, Rafaël van der Vaart and Johnny Heitinga joined the squad. The duo had enjoyed two extra weeks of vacation, after they had played the World Cup tournament in Argentina, with the Holland U21 team. They were both subbed in and did fine: Van der Vaart scored his first goal (Ajax' 14th in the 80th minute), whereas Heitinga played his first minutes in Ajax-1. "I had not expected to play straight away", the 17 year-old defender said, "I was pretty nervous."

Co Adriaanse had many more defenders to his availability than earlier this week, anyway, because Cristian Chivu made a succesful come-back in the team, after his hamstring injury. He was Ajax' captain from the moment he was subbed in for Petri Pasanen.

And of course, there was 'the new guy': Tunisian defender, Trabelsi, who's on trial at Ajax-1 and joined the team without any football boots. He had to borrow a pair from one of his new team-mates, since he was to play the full 90 minutes, in which he made a good impression, by showing some good runs and providing the surprising topscorer of the day, Andy van der Meyde, with a fine cross to make it 0-6. Van der Meyde scored three goals in only one half. Shota Arveladze scored three as well, but needed the full 90 minutes for it.

Co Adriaanse said about Trabelsi: "If I had not liked him tonight, he would have gone home. But he can stay, at least until Saturday."

Ajax ended up scoring nine goals in the first half, including a spectacular salvo of four goals in the last two minutes. The second half team, with five new players brought in, added another six to make it 0-15. According to Ajax.nl's report, John O'Brien's goal was the most beautiful one: he lifted the over Vaassen's goalkeeper, Voorhorst, to make it 0-3 after 16 minutes.

The most remarkable news of the day, however, followed after the match, as Richard Witschge left Ajax' training camp and went home. According to the NOS and AT5 Teletext services, coach Co Adriaanse had told the midfielder that there's "not much prospect" for him in Ajax-1 this season. Witschge decided to go, reportedly after "good deliberation with the technical staff". Technical director, Leo Beenhakker, drove Witschge back to Amsterdam.

Ajax will return from De Lutte on Saturday, after having played one more game against an amateur opponent: First Class side, RKHVV, from Huissen. After that, the team will have to prepare for the first real testcase of the 2001-2002 season: a confrontation with AC Milan at the Amsterdam Tournament. (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl, NOS and AT5 TeleText)

GOALS

• 09' 0-1 Andy van der Meyde
• 11' 0-2 Shota Arveladze
• 16' 0-3 John O'Brien
• 20' 0-4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• 35' 0-5 Andy van der Meyde
• 44' 0-6 Andy van der Meyde
• 45' 0-7 Shota Arveladze (penalty)
• 45' 0-8 Wamberto
• 45' 0-9 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (penalty)
• 49' 0-10 Pius Ikedia
• 73' 0-11 Richard Knopper
• 74' 0-12 Shota Arveladze
• 76' 0-13 Pius Ikedia
• 80' 0-14 Rafaël van der Vaart
• 38' 0-15 Wamberto

Line-up Ajax: Grim; Trabelsi, Pasanen (45. Chivu), Yakubu (45. Heitinga), De Cler; Galásek (45. Van der Vaart), Arveladze, O'Brien (45. Cruz); Van der Meyde (45. Ikedia ), Ibrahimovic (45. Knopper), Wamberto.

Related Links:

• Discussion: Ajax current form