Ajax lucky to grab three points in Eredivisie opener
1 (1) - 2
(1)
Holland Casino Eredivisie
Gelredome, Arnhem
Sunday, 17 August, 2003
Ajax had a succesful start of the 2003-2004 Eredivisie,
clinching the full three points in the traditionally tough road
game at Vitesse. However, a late whim by Wesley Sneijder was
(once again) required: 1-2. The hosts would have deserved the
draw in a game that saw a hatful of open scoring chances for
both sides.
Several unexpected problems occur in Ajax's first 'real'
games of the season, such as injuries for a quartet of
prominent players (Galásek, Litmanen, O'Brien and in
Arnhem also Trabelsi), as well as the unexpectedly poor form of
some of last season's key figures, of which Steven Pienaar and
Rafaël van der Vaart are the most obvious cases. Add this
to the expected problems (the process of adjustment of all of
the newcomers except the already convincing Julien
Escudé) and the all but easy start to the new European
and domestic campaigns is explained.
Rafael van der Vaart and
Vitesse's Michael Dingsdag clash
during the teams' Eredivisie opener. [Photo:
ANP]
In Arnhem's Gelredome the Amsterdammers won a few corners in
the early minutes and saw Wesley Sonck come close to scoring,
but could easily have been two or three goals down after 20
minutes. In reality it was just a single one. Ajax had no
answer to Vitesse's simple, but very effective play: almost
every ball was kicked toward the bald crown of Belgian giant
Bob Peeters, who would flick the ball on to the unstoppable
Matthew Amoah, who was constantly faster and more determined
than his Ajax marksmen.
No wonder that the best chances in the opening phase were
for the hosts. Amoah (on a Claessens thru-pass) lost his
face-to-face rendez-vous with Bogdan Lobont, whereas Gert
Claessens saw his finishing attempt go millimetres wide.
Vitesse's opening goal (a fine Fränkel cross was nodded
home by Amoah) was inevitable and came early: in the 13th
minute.
When Ajax finally started playing better the lucky equalizer
was already on the score-board. Defender Purrel Fränkel
was put in such a tight spot by an onstorming Wesley Sonck that
he surprised his own goalkeeper with an inaccurate backpass:
1-1 (22').
In the following minutes Amoah hit the post full-on with a
furious volley and Steven Pienaar tested the cross-bar in the
counter-attack. There was no lack of chances or spectacular
moments in Gelredome. What was missing, though, was good
football by Ajax. The team's play lacked pace and was mostly
too predictable, in spite of the presence of Koeman's striker
couple of preference: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wesley Sonck, who
started together for the first time.
The Belgian had a considerably better game than the Swede,
who drew attention by hitting Bert Konterman
with his notorious elbow. TV footage did not at all prove
that it was intentional, but Zlatan's reputation was
enough to outrage the home crowd. The Swede had the chance
to put Ajax in the lead on a perfect Sonck cross in the 55th
minute, but he once again showed that he can do anything with a
ball except heading: he clumsily nodded wide with the side of
his head. "Sonck had his best game so far", said Ronald Koeman
after the game. "He felt more comfortable and free."
Tom Soetaers makes his Ajax debut
against
Vitesse. [Photo: Louis van de Vuurst/Ajax.nl]
Rafaël van der Vaart, who had yet another dreadful
game, should have put Ajax in the lead a minute before the half
time break, but failed eye to eye with goalkeeper Van Fessem.
Vitesse had its chances as well (Bert Konterman headed wide),
but in the second half Ajax finally dictated the game and
created the better chances. The very best of them all was for
former Vitesse man Victor Sikora, who pushed a perfect Van der
Vaart cross inches wide.
The first half was for Vitesse, the second half for Ajax.
The number of chances was in almost perfect balance. A 1-1 draw
would have been a fair result, but the hosts ended up paying
the ultimate price for their inability to escape from Ajax's
hold in the final minutes. Typically, the determination of
Ajax's most active and hard-working man brought the
Amsterdammers the late and not entirely deserved win. Wesley
Sneijder picked up the ball amidst total miscommunication in
the Vitesse defense and pushed it past goalkeeper Van Fessem:
1-2 (87'). The despairing home side claimed that Sneijder was
offside, but the midfielder was launched by no-one else than
himself.
Koeman: "This team is not rock-solid yet. Winning a game
like this in this phase is a very good thing." Especially, we
may add, if champions PSV lose two points at Roda JC (2-2).
Feyenoord won its first home fixture against NEC (2-1), but has
a tough away game at Heerenveen coming up. For Ajax the next
two fixtures may not be a problem: both RBC Roosendaal (away,
Saturday) an FC Zwolle (home, August 31) are regarded as
relegation candidates. (MP)
GOALS
- 13' 1-0 Matthew Amoah
- 22' 1-1 Purrel Fränkel (own
goal)
- 88' 1-2 Wesley Sneijder
Referee: Jol
Yellow cards: Ibrahimovic, Grygera
(Ajax), Rankovic, Amoah(Vitesse)
Attendance: 22,000
Ajax line-up: Lobont; Grygera,
Escudé, Maxwell; Yakubu, Van der Vaart, Sneijder;
Pienaar (76.De Jong), Sonck, Ibrahimovic (62. Sikora), Soetaers
(68. Wamberto).
Vitesse line-up: Van Fessem; Cornelisse,
Fränkel, Konterman, Rankovic; Claessens (79. Schaars),
Dingsdag, Hofs (86. Bochem), Martel; Peeters (58. Mbamba),
Amoah.
Related Links:
