1212y.html

Young Ajax advance to quarter-finals in dramatic fashion

It's almost 7:50 PM in the ArenA. Referee Bossen looks at his watch. A few more seconds. Young Ajax gave everything they had. They were the better team throughout the game, especially in the second half, in which the Ajax youngsters dominated in impressive style. But there were not too many real scoring chances. A few dangerous moments, that's true, but the Ajax under-20s lacked a bit of physical power. FC Twente already looked silly, against the techincally superior Ajax teenagers. However, their single goal, scored by Simon Cziommer, seemed to be enough.

One more attack, one more desperate attempt to equalize. The ball is kicked forward, towards Kwame Quansah, who passes back to the edge of the penalty box, where Jason Culina is waiting, a young Australian who's career at Ajax has been frustrating so far. He dribbles momentarily and then has no other choice but to express two and a half years of frustration in one furious shot. You could hardly see the ball flying. All there was, was the sound of the leather slamming against the inside of the post - followed by a thundering roar from the stands: 1-1, and by far the most spectacular goal in the Amsterdam ArenA this year. FC Twente did not even have the time to kick off. Culina's goal brought Young Ajax into extra time against Eredivisie side FC Twente.

The greatest thing about it was that Young Ajax was really Young Ajax: no first team player in the squad, not even Johnny Heitinga. Only two players (Kiran Bechan and Kwame Quansah) ever played for Ajax-1, less than one game each. The 21 year-old scorer, Jason Culina, was the oldest. All others were under 20. Two players (Nando Rafaël and Michael Krohn-Dehli) were not even Young Ajacieden, but straight from the A1 youth team for 17 year-olds.

In the extra time, you could feel that Young Ajax were close to winning. FC Twente is 17th in the Eredivisie, subject to heavy criticism by its fans. The team gave away a 0-2 lead against ten Ajacieden a few weeks ago, but the worst flop of the year was yet to come: after only seven minutes of extra time, the unbelievable became reality. Twente defender Heubach slipped in a duel with Michael Krohn-Dehli, falling with his hand on the ball. The linesman saw what referee Bossen didn't see, after which Young Ajax and Young Brazil captain, Walker, calmly fired home from the penalty spot, causing an explosion of joy in the ArenA which probably made the Brazilian think of the Rio carnival at home.

Young Ajax was determined and self-assured in extra time, where the team had looked nervous in the first half. Most Young Ajax players had never played in the ArenA before. The 11,300 fans who were already there, were the largest crowd they'd ever played for. The passing was a bit erratic, a mistake by Ruud Kras gave FC Twente the lead and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg seemed uncertain.

This changed radically as both teams went down to ten players jus before half-time. Brutil Hosé and Dennis Hulshoff were each sent off as the result of a chaotic episode. TV footage later showed a chain reaction of violent behaviour by the two: Hosé pushed Hulshoff; Hulshoff kicked the ball against Hosé's body; Hosé then body-jacked Hulshoff; the Twente player reacted by giving Hosé a header in the face, after which the Young Ajax striker wrapped it up by giving Hulshoff an knock-out punch Mike Tyson style. The defender had to be carried off the pitch, his face hidden in a bloody towel.

In losing Hosé, Young Ajax lost its oldest (22) and most experienced player (17 games in Ajax-1), but the nervousness was instantly gone. You could see the insecure Twente side pine away in the second half, as they started to fear the worst case scenario, the ultimate humiliation for an experienced Eredivisie professional. Young Ajax coach Jan Olde Riekerink was beaten with Sparta by Ajax-2 in 1988. He made up for it as a coach. Six games were played and won, including two against First Division and two against Eredivisie professionals. The players in the Young Ajax line-up below now outclassed the 1988 achievement of Ronald and Frank de Boer, Richard Witschge and Bryan Roy.

It was embarrassing to see how the eastern team tried to waste time and consolidate their one goal lead against ten teenagers. Their cowardice was punished. Young Ajax is in the quarter finals. (MP)

GOALS

• 27'  0-1  Simon Cziommer
• 90'  1-1  Jason Culina
• 97'  2-1  Walker Americo Fronio (penalty, 'golden goal')

Referee: Bossen
Yellow card: Van der Doelen (FC Twente)
Red cards: Hosé (Young Ajax), Hulshoff (FC Twente)
Attendance: 11,300

Young Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Mofokeng, Kras, Walker, Valencia; Obodai (78. Rafaël), Seedorf, Pienaar (75. Culina); Bechan (85. Krohn-Dehli), Hosé, Quansah.

FC Twente line-up: Boschker; Van der Weerden, Pothuizen, Hulshoff, Grujic; Cziommer (76. Ten Hag), Van der Doelen, Van der Leegte (25. Heubach); Van der Laan, De Gier, Caïro (67. Houwing).

Draw for the Amstel Cup Quarter Finals (29 and/or 30 January, 2002)

• PSV vs Feyenoord
• FC Utrecht vs SC Heerenveen
• Ajax vs FC Groningen
• Young Ajax vs Stormvogels Telstar