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Match Report: Ajax' goals from unlikely places beat Willem II

What a strange and unexpectedly beautiful game this was.

Strange to see an Ajax team without Cristian Chivu anchoring defense. The Romanian international was not available due to a thigh injury which may also keep him sidelined on Thursday against FC Copenhagen.

Strange to see Ajax without Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Even though he's really a new player, still struggling to establish himself as the Ajax striker of choice, I've just grown so accustomed to seeing the big Swede up front, holding the ball, making things happen. However, a good and scrappy performance from Mido helped Ajax to succeed anyway.

Strange officiating. The referee Ruud Bossen did not show a single card during the match, despite a string of reckless and dangerous altercations, a couple of which actually drew blood. Arguably, the Willem II equalizer should have been disallowed due to an apparent Shoukov handball just prior to the goal. Likewise, Bossen chose to ignore a rather obvious handball by Wamberto in the second half.

And perhaps strangest of all, the game turned on a beautiful goal from an unlikely source: American John O'Brien, who last scored just over two years ago, on 17 October 1999. From that point on, Ajax looked constantly dangerous while Willem II looked more and more apathetic. Despite being deadlocked 1-1 at halftime, the final score of 4-1 seems apropriate.

"I scored my last one when (former Ajax coach) Jan Wouters was still there," said O'Brien. "So I guess it was about time. 'Wampy' (Wamberto) came in from the flank and gave a good cross, and I headed home. That was a great feeling. I'd love to feel that more often."

The match had started well enough for Ajax. Despite the absence of both Chivu and Zlatan, the Amsterdam side looked confident and composed as they brought the attack to their Tilburg guests. However, it took a bit of good fortune to break through Willem II's defense. Rafael Van der Vaart had flubbed his initial chance on goal after a great darting run from midfield, but then got an unlikely second chance after the ball ping-ponged off the legs of a Willem II defender and fell to the young Dutch international's feet. He took full advantage of the gift by striking home deftly from 16 yards (1-0).

Toward the end of the first half, Willem II began to look much more dangerous in attack. The equalizing goal came just on the doorstep of halftime. Some good pressure by the guests, and a non-call on a possible handball in the box by Shoukov, was followed by a fine strike that smacked the inside of the right post before finding the back of Grim's net. Two minutes later, and just moments before halftime, a speculative shot from Shoukov grazed the outside of that same post. Despite playing well for the first 30 minutes of the match, Ajax were fortunate not to be trailing at halftime.

However, Ajax slowly and surely took over in the second half, looking more and more dominant and threatening, especially after O'Brien's stunning goal. Meanwhile, Willem II just seemed to wilt under the Amsterdammers constant pressure. The few chances created by the visitors were neutralized by fine goalkeeping from Fred Grim, whose excellently timed challenges repeatedly took the ball out of the air on crosses or off the feet of Tilburg attackers. Ajax fans surely felt a mixture of humor and horror when Grim once again took to dribbling the opposition outside of the goalkeeper's box. This is a habit he's developed lately, and one the Ajax coaches will probably try to correct.

It was another uneven game from Andy van der Meyde, whose confidence cannot have been helped by two great chances that he failed to convert. He put in some great work throughout the game, but he still poses a notable lack of real danger when he tries to take on defenders. And the poor guy almost pulled out his voluminous hair after missing one real 'sitter' in front of goal, on a chance created -- once again -- by Wamberto, 75 minutes into the game.

Meanwhile, another Ajax youngster, Johnny Heitinga, played well as a substitute for Abubukari Yakubu. Heitinga defended well and made some great runs and fired a few cracking shots on goal.

Co Adriaanse had this to say about Yakubu and Chivu's injuries:

"Yakubu sustained a deep cut, just under the knee, and will surely miss the games against FC Copenhagen and De Graafschap. As far as Cristian Chivu is concerned: that looks significantly better, but he's not sure to be ready in time (for Wednesday's UEFA Cup game)."

Ajax's US-based fans have to be thrilled with the continued solid play of John O'Brien, who seems to have decided -- or has been convinced -- to attack more often and with more self-confidence. Distant seem the days where O'Brien was merely struggling for a place to play in this talent-laden side. Now, it seems likely that Adriaanse will find a place for him somewhere on the field, so long as the coach continues to get rewarded with solid, mistake-free play from the young American.

On the difference between this game and the 5-1 loss to Heerenveen, O'Brien noted: "Last Wednesday, it was 1-1 at half-time as well. But this time, we had the advantage of playing at home, on a good pitch with no rain. We just couldn't give it away this time."

His task was a bit more offensive today, playing as a central-left midfielder. O'Brien: "The coach told me to go and attack more often. Either Tomás Galásek or I am supposed to join the attack, forcing the opponent's midfielders to run more. I like that. Rafaël van der Vaart had more of a free task, as a number ten. It feels good, the way everyone's playing now. This 4-1 win gives us a lot of confidence for Thursday. Especially playing for our own crowd, we should be able to beat Copenhagen."

Also worth noting is the fine goal scored by substitute Nikos Machlas, who came in for Mido in the 77th minute. In the 80th minute, a brilliant touch from Van der Meyde broke down Willem II's offside trap and set the on-rushing Machlas free to take on Tilburg goalkeeper. Machlas looked cool and confident, ignoring a wide-open teammate to his left and slotting home with seasoned perfection from 20 yards out. And Machlas was again strangely subdued after scoring his goal, almost as if coming on as a late substitute and scoring for Ajax is a bitter-sweet experience for the proud Greek international.

In the 86th minute, the sparkling performance of Rafael Van der Vaart was ended a bit prematurely after he took an elbow in the mouth that split his upper lip. Richard Knopper replaced him, and then became the second substitute to score, on a tremendous individual effort.

But much of what Ajax did right on the day was due to the flowing, confident play of the Brazilian Wamberto, so quick-thinking in attack, so dangerous on the dribble.

Ajax fans have to feel very confident about the fact that they could lose Yakubu and bring on Heitinga, lose Mido and bring on Machlas, and lose Van der Vaart and bring on Knopper. This is a very deep and talented Ajax team. You cannot win a championship with eleven men. You need 20 good players, and Ajax has that.

Amusing footnote:

Speaking of strange... Fox Sports World, the television network that shows Dutch Eredivie games in the United States, actually mixed up the video of the first and second halves, broadcasting the second half as if it were the first and vice-versa. American fans knew something was amiss because players who had been subbed out of the game suddenly began re-appearing on the field in the "second" half. You have to give credit to a clearly flustered Christian Miles, who provides the match commentary for FSW while watching the game in a video-booth in America. He did his best to make sense of this Alice-in-Wonderland game.

Case in point: When Abubukari Yakubu was injured in the "64th minute of the second half" (actually the 19th minute of the first), Miles stuttered a bit because Yakubu wasn't even in the game in the first half. (Miles is obviously thinking, "How did he get in the game?".) So when Johnny Heitinga is brought on as a substitute for Yakubu, despite the fact that we just watched Heitinga play the entire "first half" of the match, Miles announces, "and Heitinga comes back into the match." Then, obviously realizing the impossibility of it all, Miles follows up a few minutes later, "Heitinga, just when he thought his day was done... a very busy man."

Funnier than he knows: At one point in the game, Miles made a quip about fans sending in email to explain the nickname 'Mido' for Ajax's Egyptian player Ahmed Hossam. "If anybody could help me out," Miles mockingly implored. Well, I suspect FSW will indeed get a fair share of "helpful" emails after this one. (JM)

GOALS:

• 18' 1-0 Rafaël van der Vaart
• 45' 1-1 Tom Caluwé
• 72' 2-1 John O'Brien
• 80' 3-1 Nikos Machlas
• 88' 4-1 Richard Knopper

Ajax line-up: Ajax line-up: Grim; Trabelsi, Yakubu (19. Heitinga), Bergdølmo, De Cler; Galásek, O' Brien, Van der Vaart; Van der Meyde, Wamberto, Mido (77. Machlas).

Willem II line-up: De Vlieger; Jaliens, Mariana, Van Nieuwstadt (46. Mathijssen), Mathijsen; Landzaat, Victoria, Caluwé (77. Sanou); Ceesay, Shoukov, Abdellaoui (77. Sektioui).

Referee: Ruud Bossen
Yellow cards: none
Attendance: 37,654

Related Links:

• Discussion: Ajax current form
• Discussion: Ajax on Television
• Profile: Willem II