Hard-fought win for Ajax at FC Groningen: 1-3
1 (1) - 3
(1)
Holland Casino Eredivisie
Oosterpark Stadium,
Groningen
Sunday, 05 October, 2003
Ajax's preparations for a league game were rarely disturbed
as brutally as this Sunday morning, as
arsonists set fire to the team bus, parked outside of the
team's hotel near Groningen. The Amsterdammers considered going
home, but ended up playing the away fixture at FC Groningen,
after having been evacuated from the hotel for several hours
during the night. The fierce and opportunistic hosts gave Ajax
a hard time, but eventually the result was more than
satisfying: 1-3. Coach Ronald Koeman: "The boys deserve a great
compliment for the way they handled the situation and focused
on the game."
Tall and taller: Zlatan
Ibrahimovic battles with FC Groningen's Regillio Vrede. [Photo:
ANP]
FC Groningen 1, Ajax 3. The result is the same as last
season, but the game was very different: last season's dull
edition of FC Groningen vs Ajax was a walk in the park for the
Amsterdammers, who booked an unexpectedly easy victory. This
year's game was entertaining, tense and passionate, thanks to
the aggressive and determined hosts. The 'Pride of the North'
was Ajax's equal on the pitch. Most of the open scoring chances
were for Ajax, however, so that the Amsterdammers eventually
deserved the win - although the final figures of 1-3 make the
hosts look much weaker than they were.
Ajax had a tough time in the first half, in which the team
(the same as against Club Brugge on Wednesday) showed fine
combination play in midfield, but had no answer to Groningen's
opportunistic kick 'n' rush play. The hosts were particularly
threatening on corner kicks. Several of those were dangerously
flicked on at the near post in the first half, forcing Bogdan
Lobont to punch the ball over the cross-bar for yet another
corner kick.
The most dangerous man on such occasions was Regillio Vrede,
the enormous defender who came from Roda JC this summer. The
entire Ajax defense was keeping an eye on him as Rolf Landerl's
21st minute corner landed at the far post, where it was a
piece of cake for Arvid Smit to push home: 1-0.
The opening goal was a well-deserved reward for Groningen's
boldness, even though Ajax could not really be accused of any
such thing as a weak start. The team's shifting to a higher
gear had the desired effect only seven minutes after the
opening goal. Ajax's equalizer was much discussed afterwards,
because it started with a scuffle between Paul Matthijs and
Rafaël van der Vaart on the middle line. Matthijs was
pulling Van der Vaart's shirt, after which the Ajax captain
wildly pulled himself loose, thereby (according to
the Groningen bench) hitting his opponent.
The referee could have whistled indeed, but didn't, so
that seconds after the incident Zlatan
Ibrahimovic received the ball, created space for himself with a
superb foot movement and mercilessly slammed home with his
right: 1-1. A beautiful goal, which should not have been
given according to FC Groningen. Ronald Koeman: "I don't
agree. Matthijs was hanging around Van der Vaart's neck for at
least 20 metres. Rafaël just liberated himself,
although you never know how the fourth official will interpret
it."
In spite of Groningen's determination and attractively
aggressive play, by far the best chances in the remainder of
the first half were for Ajax. Only one minute after
Ibrahimovic's goal Rafaël van der Vaart had a free passage
to Roy Beukenkamp, but saw the excellent Groningen goalkeeper
save. two minutes before the break, Steven Pienaar nicely
pulled back to an unmarked Wesley Sonck. Beukenkamp was out of
position and the goal practically empty, but Sonck lifted the
ball against the cross-bar.
The second half was equally passionate. The physically
stronger home side reigned in the air and seemed to be more
determined in man-to-man duels, but yet again the best chances
were for Ajax: both Tom Soetaers (who had another weak game on
the left flank) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic came face-to-face with
Beukenkamp, but saw the Groningen goalie save. The hosts,
meanwhile, came close to score as Glenn Salmon almost managed
to fumble the ball past Lobont on a low Pinas cross.
As the minutes ticked away FC Groningen seemed to be headed
for a point. It would have been fair, based on their over-all
play. Yet, the risk that Ajax would create another major chance
was tangible, especially after Nicolae Mitea, the young
Romanian who scored three goals for Young Ajax last week, had
replaced Tom Soetaers. Ajax's decisive attack was an
Ibrahimovic-Sonck production of outstanding beauty: the Swede
received the ball in the right part of the penalty box. He kept
it under his boot, then passed to Sonck, who beuatifully turned
away from his defender and fired it into the top left
corner: 1-2.
FC Groningen's man for desparate last-gasp attacking is
battering-ram and local hero Martin Drent, who was immediately
brought on and actually came close to equalizing on a low Pinas
cross. Lobont was alert on the goal-line. From the
counter-attack, executed by Ajax with lightning speed, Hatem
Trabelsi cut a low cross to the far post, where Nicolae Mitea
was waiting to net his first goal for Ajax-1. The final score
of 1-3 was far too flattering for Ajax, admittedly. However,
enough chances were created to lay claim to the three
points.
In front of the cameras of pay-TV channel Canal+ Zlatan
Ibrahimovic, arguably the best Ajacied on the pitch, reflected
on a strange and memorable day: "This is not normal. This
doesn't normally happen, but it did happen to us. But the team
handled it really well. I'm proud of all my guys. Even a fire
can't stop us (...) We all worked really hard. I'm also very
happy fpr Nicolae Mitea, who scored his first goal for
Ajax."
Knowing that they had just lept back to the top of the
Eredivisie table, it was time for the Ajacieden to take a
shower, board the 'alternative' team bus borrowed from First
Division side De Graafschap and take a well deserved nap on
their way to Amsterdam... (MP)
GOALS
- 20' 1-0 Arvid Smit
- 26' 1-1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- 81' 1-2 Wesley Sonck
- 90' 1-3 Nicolae Mitea
Referee: Haverkort
Yellow cards: Kruiswijk (FC Groningen),
Maxwell (Ajax)
Attendance: 12,400
Ajax line-up: Lobont; Trabelsi, Pasanen,
Escudé, Maxwell; Pienaar (74. De Jong), Galásek,
Van der Vaart (90. Van Damme), Soetaers (66. Mitea); Sonck,
Ibrahimovic.
FC Groningen line-up: Beukenkamp; Elshot,
Vrede, Kruiswijk, Florén; Matthijs, Van Gessel (83.
Drent), Smit (60. Tuhuteru); Landerl (76. De Witte), Salmon,
Pinas.
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