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Match Report: Crespo's volley dooms Ajax' stalwart effort

Ronald Koeman stated before Wednesday's Champions League game in Milan, "Against Italian Clubs, you always get the feeling that you're better, but very often you don't see this in the result afterwards." It turned out to be prophetic words, as Ajax dominated much of the game but left Internazionale's San Siro empty-handed.

Beforehand, Ajax had some problems lining-up their best team. Next to Van der Vaart, O'Brien was injured and Yakubu suspended due to his red card in last week's match against Lyon. Petri Pasanen replaced Yakubu in the center of defense and 18-year old Jelle van Damme took over the left back position.

Ajax was happy that Litmanen, slightly injured, was deemed fit to play, but their problems didn't end at kick-off. Goalie Stekelenburg had to leave the pitch after just 20 minutes as a result of a strained hamstring. Henk Timmer, on loan for one year, replaced him. A strange and sudden career leap: last year, the second goal keeper of AZ and now, playing in front of 45,000 roaring spectators in a Champions League game at San Siro.

Timmer stated afterwards that he didn't have any stage-fright: "I'm never nervous, never ever had been, by the way. I have played so many matches. It doesn't matter if I have to play from the start or have to substitute a goalie after 20 minutes, although the last option is of course a bit more difficult."

Timmer did a fine job in coaching the young defenders (Pasanen, Van Damme) in front of him and performed well, although the remaining 70 minutes of the game saw no actual save by the veteran reserve goalie. The extremely cautious Nerazzurri rarely came close to the Ajax goal. French midfielder Dalmat was the most dangerous Inter man, with several long rushes across the pitch. Christian Vieri, however, seemed to have disappeared in the superior Cristian Chivu's pocket.

This changed in the second half, in which there were two extremely dangerous moments in front of Timmer's goal. Both times, he had no chance and was nailed to his goal-line. The first time he was lucky: Petri Pasanen pushed the ball across the line for a corner, just before Christian Vieri could push it into the nets. The second time, he had to pick the ball out of the net: Almeyda's cross from the right flank was tipped in by Hernan Crespo (75).

Before and after that goal, Ajax dominated the game. The Amsterdammers did not create large numbers of scoring chances themselves, but could - and maybe should - have taken a well-deserved lead on a few occasions. In the first half Zlatan came close on a nice pass from Jari Litmanen, but his shot was well saved by goalkeeper Toldo.

This combination and others showed again how well the Finn and the Swede can play together. Litmanen's main quality is that he can make others play better. This seems especially true for Zlatan. A welcome surprise for Koeman, who seemed to have given up on the Swede.

Ajax' second open scoring chance was for Victor Sikora, who suddenly found himself completely unmarked on the penalty-spot. This surprised the Ajacied so much that he did not take the time to hit the ball full on.

Crespo's late goal was too much for Ajax to overcome. Cristian Chivu, Ajax' best man on the pitch alongside the equally superb Tomás Galásek, summed it up very well: "When you're better, like we were today, you should convert your chances. Inter got one, and it was enough for them - unfortunately." (BV)

GOALS

• 75' 1-0 Hernan Jorge Crespo

Referee: Dougal
Yellow cards: Van der Meijde (Ajax)
Attendance: 45,784

Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg (20. Timmer); Trabelsi, Chivu, Pasanen (80. Mido), Van Damme; Galásek, Litmanen, Maxwell; Sikora, Zlatan, Van der Meyde (76. Pienaar)

Internazionale FC line-up: Toldo, Cordoba, Materazzi, Pasquale, Zanetti, Dalmat, Di Biagio (65. Almeyda), Emre (52. Recoba), Okan (69. Conceicao), Crespo, Vieri

Group D result: Olympique Lyonnais - Rosenborg BK 5-0

Related Links:

• Discussion: European Games
• Profile: Internationale
• Ajax.nl: Match Report (in Dutch, with pictures)