Eager Ajax crushes Willem II, reclaims league lead
6 (2) - 0
(0)
Holland Casino Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Sunday, 28 September, 2003
A good win at the ArenA was important for several reasons
today: the bitter taste of two defeats in a row (Milan and NAC)
needed to be washed away - and the fans' dissatisfaction with
the team's play suppressed. Moreover, the struggling Ajacieden
could well use a self-confidence boost with the Champions
League fixture against Club Brugge coming up. On such moments
few opponents are more welcome in Amsterdam than Willem II, a
club that never beat Ajax in Amsterdam and (if they continue to
approach Ajax the way they usually do) probably never will. The
languid Tilburg side was the perfect cannon fodder for an eager
and playful Ajax team: 6-0.
Inspired by PSV's unexpected home defeat against AZ (0-1)
the night before Ajax offered the Amsterdam crowd its best
performance so far this season. The top slot in the
Eredivisie was reclaimed by the Amsterdammers without the
slightly injured Rafaël van der Vaart, who was rested
for Wednesday's Club Brugge game.
'Man of the Match' Wesley
Sonck is happy about
his fine second goal for Ajax. [Photo: ANP]
The question is: were the Tricolores as weak as the
result suggests? The answer is twofold. Ajax vs Willem II was
actually a 'real' game for a while. Ajax started well, with
Steven Pienaar coming face to face with Belgium's national
goalkeeper Geert De Vlieger after only five minutes and Wesley
Sonck scoring his excellent second goal for Ajax on a splitting
Galásek thru-pass (13'). However, the guests had chances
to equalize in the fifteen minutes thereafter. In fact, the
ball was in Ajax's netting in the 19th minute, but Denny
Landzaat was off-side when Bart Van Den Eede nodded onto his
boot for the final push. Danny Matthijsen also had the chance
to test Lobont, but saw his hastily taken shot fly wide.
For some reason, however, Willem is known for giving up
easily against top sides in general and Ajax in particular. A
two goal deficit is usually enough for Willem II to bow its
head. Ajax added its second in the 29th minute this time.
Wesley Sonck nicely chipped the ball over the defense - and
Zlatan Ibrahimovic artistically tipped it over goalkeeper Peter
Zois, who replaced an injured De Vlieger immediately after
Sonck's opening goal. 2-0 - and the remainder of the game was
instantly reduced to a formality.
The most promising aspect of the game were the excellent
performances of strikers Sonck and Ibrahimovic, who both had
wonderful games and (for the first time) seemed to 'click' as a
unit. The way Sonck sent Zlatan on his way to Ajax's second was
no less than stunning, but it wasn't the only moment of
chemistry between the two.
A few minutes into the second half the Swede himself proved
that he is also capable of providing a team-mate with a useful
assist, as he nicely pulled back to Wesley Sneijder for Ajax's
third, after a flashy attack set up by Abubakari Yakubu. It was
the start of a second half in which Ajax got to boost its
morale, sometimes in spectacular fashion. Willem II did not
create a single moment of danger in the second half, which
consisted of 45 straight minutes of Ajax gallery play.
The first three goals were of high quality, but the best was
yet to come for the 47,000 at the ArenA, who let the 'wave'
roll over the second tier. Victor Sikora was on the pitch for
only two minutes when his merciless diagonal volley slammed
home via the underside of the cross-bar (57'). Tom Soetaers, in
his turn, did something similar from the opposote corner of the
penalty area, picking up a loose ball and diagonally firing
into the upper ninety (68'). Poor Peter Zois... The
Australian goalkeeper's début for Willem
II was a rather traumatic experience.
Victor Sikora, who had a fine
performance as a
substitute. [Photo: Gerard van Hees/Ajax.nl]
The nicest goal of the day was Ajax's sixth. It wasn't the
best goal for the way Pienaar finished, but for the fluent
attack that preceded the South-African's low shot and in which
the 'two Wesleys' (Sonck and Sneijder) were key-figures. For
Sonck, in particular, it was the fine conclusion to a great
game, for which he was rewarded with the 'Man of the Match'
title. He scored a good goal and gave an even nicer assist. He
worked hard, passed intelligently and should have been given
two penalties. On both occasions he was clearly pulled down,
but apparently referee Van Egmond didn't want to make things
worse for the disillusioned guests, who already were 5-0 down
at that point. "I had a good game, so I can hardly be
dissatisfied", Sonck said, "but yet I can do better than this.
I'm slowly picking up form."
Ronald Koeman, for one, was pleased with Sonck's performance
and announced that he will keep the Sonck-Ibrahimovic duo
intact in Wednesday's 'Derby of the Lowlands' against a Club
Brugge side battered by injuries and suspensions. Ajax will
have to grab its first Champions League points against them, if
they want to make an impact in Europe's most prestigious
competition again. (MP)
GOALS
- 13' 1-0 Wesley Sonck
- 29' 2-0 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- 49' 3-0 Wesley Sneijder
- 57' 4-0 Victor Sikora
- 68' 5-0 Tom Soetaers
- 81' 6-0 Steven Pienaar
Referee: Van Egmonds
Yellow cards: Soetaers (Ajax),
Mathijssen (Willem II)
Attendance: 47,728
Ajax line-up: Lobont; Trabelsi (72. De
Jong), Pasanen (46. Yakubu), Escudé, Maxwell; Pienaar,
Galásek, Sneijder, Soetaers; Sonck, Ibrahimovic (55.
Sikora).
Willem II line-up: De Vlieger (14. Zois);
Wau, Mathijsen, Jaliens, Van Mosselveld; Mathijssen,
Landzaat, Delanoy, Sektioui; Van Den Eede (57.
Ceesay), Shoukov (73. Mariana).
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