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Match Report: Ajax loses points and defenders against NAC: 2-2

Last week, at RBC Roosendaal, the Eredivisie fixture prior to a Champions League tie passed off perfectly: three points, no injuries. What bitter contrast with today's home-tie against NAC, in which Ajax lost two precious points (2-2), and - in the worst case scenario - two central defenders (Chivu and Heitinga).

The Ajax line-up was very different from the Wednesday's "San Siro eleven": Joey Didulica returned in the Ajax goal after months of injuries, Yakubu replaced Pasanen, Van Damme had to play in John O'Brien's position once again, Steven Pienaar replaced Litmanen, Witschge played instead of Maxwell and Nourdin Boukhari got Koeman's nod instead of Andy van der Meyde.

Many 'new' faces, but it was a regular in the Ajax defense - the usually invincible Hatem Trabelsi - who brought his team in deep trouble with two almost identical, flabbergasting defensive blunders. On both occasions, the Tunisian was well ahead of the striker chasing him. He seemed to have the time and space to clear, but nonchalantly allowed his opponent to steal the ball off his foot. Didulica had no chance as former Ajax winger Kevin Bobson and, 18 minutes later, American veteran Ernie Stewart stormed towards him. "You simply can't play against moments like that", sighed Ronald Koeman, after the game.

The disastrous start ushered in the return of Mido. Quite ironically, the Egyptian was brought on in exactly the same minute in which he - to his enormous frustration - got substituted in Groningen: the 32nd. Andy van der Meyde, whom Koeman intended to give a game's rest, was also brought on, replacing the dramatically weak Victor Sikora.

Despite its misery and wayward play, Ajax created a hatful of 100% scoring chances in the first half: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who starts playing better by the week, managed to lift the easiest of finishes (courtesy of Nourdin Boukhari) over the cross-bar. Boukhari himself was brought down and got a free kick just outside the penalty box. TV footage later showed that referee Van Hulten was wrong: he should have given a penalty. Steven Pienaar, meanwhile, got a free passage, but saw his attempt blocked by goalkeeper Babós.

Instead of a goal, the first half brought another disaster for Ajax. Cristian Chivu collided full-on with Féhér and went down, groaning with pain. The Ajax captain was brought to hospital immediately, where X-rays showed a contused rib, which will almost certainly keep the Romanian sidelined on Wednesday, in Norway.

On top of it all, Chivu's second half replacement, Johnny Heitinga, seemed to seriously twist his knee and had to be treated intensively. Heitinga finished the game, but can be added to Ajax' long list of injuries, which features a shocking number of central defenders and goalkeepers. Will Koeman have to revert to 'good old', but out-of-form André Bergdølmo to play against his former club on Wednesday?

Meanwhile in the second half, the Amsterdammers wiped out the two-goal deficit as quickly as it had been sustained, and it is promising that both goals were excellent Mido/Zlatan co-productions. First, a fine Witschge cross was flicked on backward by Mido, so that Zlatan only had to give the final push (47). Less than ten minutes later, Zlatan superbly tricked his defender and provided Mido with a thigh-hogh cross. The Egyptian turned and volleyed past Babós (56).

Score levelled - and more than 30 minutes to play. It seemed enough for a knock-out blow, but Zlatan and Mido failed to convert open scoring chances for their respective second goals of the day. Ajax' superiority made painfully clear how little trouble NAC would have caused Ajax if the Amsterdammers had played as aggressively in the first half as they did in the second.

It should be noted, however, that the yellow and black from Breda, despite Ajax' pressure, created at least as many excellent scoring chances on sharp counter-attacks. Stewart and Boussaboun could have secured the second consecutive NAC victory in the Amsterdam ArenA, but failed. It made for a fair, but - from an Amsterdam viewpoint - utterly disappointing result. With the first 'Classic' of the season coming up, Ajax should have taken full advantage of Feyenoord's stumble at RBC Roosendaal (4-2), but will now have to travel to De Kuip with a three-, rather than a five-point lead to defend.

But first, Ajax has two and a half days to prepare for the first clash with Rosenborg BK, the opponent against which Ajax will have to notch at least four points in total to keep the second stage of the Champions League in sight. It will be a race against the clock, especially for a team of hard-working, but relatively unknown Ajacieden: doctors Edwin Goedhart and Piet Bon, and physiotherapists Pim van Dord and Mark Haak. (MP)

GOALS

• 03' 0-1 Kevin Bobson
• 21' 0-2 Earnest Stewart
• 47' 1-2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• 56' 2-2 Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam

Referee: Van Hulten
Yellow cards: Boukhari, Galásek, Heitinga (Ajax), Penders, Féhér (NAC)
Attendance: 45,953

Ajax line-up: Didulica; Trabelsi, Chivu (46. Heitinga), Yakubu (32. Mido), Van Damme; Galásek, Pienaar, Witschge; Sikora (32. Van der Meyde), Zlatan, Boukhari.

NAC line-up: Babós; Féhér, Penders, Schenning (13. Mensah), Gudelj; Colin, Stewart, Schreuder; Korneev (46. Boussaboun), Engelaar, Bobson (70. Van den Eede).

Related Links:

• Discussion: Eredivisie Games
• Profile: NAC
• Supershota: Goals (AVI video)
• Ajax.nl: Match Report (in Dutch, with pictures)