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Easy victory at amazingly weak FC Groningen

Coach Ronald Koeman is not satisfied with the performances of his team in the first three league games. Nevertheless, Ajax still has a 100% score. In Groningen, the local FC was simply too weak to cause a far from impressive Ajax side any trouble whatsoever. A relaxed "walk in Oosterpark" on a Sunday afternoon brought Ajax a 1-3 victory and the top slot of the Eredivisie table.

One thing's for sure: it will be a tremendously tough season for FC Groningen. The club lost its most talented striker (Arjen Robben) to PSV. The forward line against Ajax consisted of two feather-weight former Ajacieden: Ignacio Tuhuteru and Pius Ikedia, who are not exactly known for their efficiency, tactical insight and goalgetters' instinct. As a result, Groningen was totally harmless for 75 minutes. Especially because 'battering-ram' Martin Drent was on the bench.

The first half hardly brought any defensive work for Cristian Chivu and André Bergdølmo. They had the time to set up one attack after the other. Groningen, meanwhile, started nervously and was unable to maintain possession. An early goal was inevitable. It came in the 13th minute, as Mido intercepted an erratic Hoogstrate pass and found Victor Sikora, who gave Rafaël van der Vaart a free passage on a smart thru-pass. The youngster stayed cool: 0-1. Silence at Oosterpark Stadium. No cheering from the visitors' section. There was no travelling support for Ajax, as Groningen mayor Jacques Wallage banned all Ajax fans from his city.

A perfect start, but instead of knocking the home side out early, Ajax joined FC Groningen in its apathy. The game became so slow that even the clueless white-and-greens created some danger. A Kurt Elshot shot slammed against the cross-bar, Groningen's only dangerous moment of the first half. Time for Ajax to wake up, but one player didn't: Mido, who was replaced by Zlatan after only 32 minutes. Koeman's comment: "Mido did not give me the impression that he was giving everything. I felt like replacing him after only fifteen minutes, but I gave him another fifteen minutes. It's sad that I had the feeling he wasn't working for it."

Zlatan was more determined. After having tested goalkeeper Beukenkamp with a furious shot, the Swede intercepted a poor Groningen pass once again, launched Sikora over the left flank, who intelligently waited for the right moment to pull back to Rafaël van der Vaart: 0-2 (40). Van der Vaart was one of the very few Ajax players who played well today. He could have scored a hattrick, but Beukenkamp saved his well-placed shot.

After the break, Groningen coach Dwight Lodeweges brought on his last two jokers: Martin Drent and Brazilian midfielder Hugo, who has the creativity FC Groningen needed so badly. However, Groningen's last spark of hope vanished as Victor Sikora gave his third perfect assist of the day: a superb cross from the left flank, headed against the nets by Andy van der Meyde, quite ironically one of the weakest Ajacieden on the pitch.

Large figures were within Ajax' reach, but Zlatan missed an equally simple header chance, whereas Wamberto came face-to-face with Beukenkamp, who managed to get his hand aainst the Brazilian's curling shot. Ajax should have lifted the score to at least 0-4 or 0-5, but failed. In fact, the team also failed to stay concentrated, which was best illustrated by André Bergdølmo. The Norwegian (incomprehensibly weak once again) was tricked like a junior by Pius Ikedia.. The Nigerian tarried for a few seconds, then slipped past Bergdølmo once again, as if the Norwegian wasn't even there. Stekelenburg saved the Nigerian's attempt, but had no chance as Hugo fired home - via John O'Brien's foot - from the rebound (76).

Groningen's big offensive never came. The game was too dull for it, the hosts too weak and Ajax too superior, despite its everything but impressive performance. The most interesting thing in the closing minutes of the game, was the official Ajax-1 debut for Nourdin Boukhari, who replaced Andy van der Meyde.

Koeman, after the game: "If we play like this in the Champions League, we really don't belong there in the first place. (...) But then again, we're at the top of the table. Maybe I'm being a bore."

Ajax will be at the top of the table for at least thirteen days. There is no league football next weekend, due to Holland's first Euro 2004 qualifier, against Belarus (07 September). Ajax' next opponent, on 14 September, will be FC Zwolle. An ordinary home game, if it weren't Jari Litmanen's 'back home game'. (MP)

GOALS

• 13' 0-1 Rafaël van der Vaart
• 40' 0-2 Rafaël van der Vaart
• 50' 0-3 Andy van der Meyde
• 76' 1-3 Hugo

Referee: Haverkort
Yellow cards: Elshot (FC Groningen), Trabelsi (Ajax)
Attendance: 12,400

Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Trabelsi, Chivu, Bergdølmo, O'Brien; Galásek, Van der Vaart, Maxwell; Van der Meyde (87. Boukhari), Mido (32. Zlatan), Sikora (66. Wamberto).

FC Groningen line-up: Beukenkamp; Elshot, Allach, Boekweg, Florén; Matthijs, Hoogstrate (46. Hugo), Broerse; Ikedia, Krstev (86. Bronkhorst), Tuhuteru (46. Drent).

Related Links

• Ajax.nl: Match Report (in Dutch, with pictures)