Ibrahimovic nets hattrick in 0-10 win at Koninklijke UD

In its fourth preparation match of the season Ajax reached the double-digits for the third time, beating Koninklijke UD from Deventer by 0-10. Nine out of Ajax's ten goals were scored in the first half, after which the team shifted to a lower gear in the second. Once again Ajax didn't concede a goal and once again - for the second time to be precise - Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a fine hattrick.

Nigel De Jong shields Koninklijke defender. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

Founded in 1875 UD from Deventer is the oldest sports club in The Netherlands. The letters stand for the latin expression 'Utile Dulci', which means 'combining the useful and the pleasant'. It is, however, not the oldest football club. The football section of the club started some 20 years after the foundation. The club was granted the status Koninklijke ('Royal') for its 100th anniversary in 1975 - something that in those days happened to all clubs that reached this antique age. Very much to the disappointment of the Amsterdammers this was no longer the case by the time of Ajax's centenary, three years ago.

Nevertheless the Amsterdammers were - of course - much stronger than their 'royal' colleagues, beating them by 0-10. The score should have been much larger. At half time Ajax had a 0-9 lead, but the Amsterdam professionals didn't manage to produce more than one single goal after the break.

Ajax started with remarkable concentration and determination - and great play by Wesley Sneijder and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The latter produced another fine hattrick, scoring goals five to seven straight. The Swede also produced a hattrick in Ajax's opening match against FC Blauw Wit Amsterdam, last Saturday. Two hat-tricks in five days -  the 'artist formerly known as Zlatan' probably won't repeat this stunt too easily in the rest of his career.

Ajax captain Jari Litmanen  played a good match also, distributing numerous fine passes and scoring twice. The captain's armband was officially given to him this week by Koeman, after the departure of Chivu to AS Roma. "I think Litmanen is a perfect captain, because of his qualities and experience", Koeman stated three days ago. "If Jari is fit, he is very important for Ajax."

Litmanen passed the captain's band on to Rafaël van der Vaart for the second half. Ajax's new #10 will be the vice-captain this season. Koeman about him: "His performances as a player as well as his personality have got something extra." In Deventer Van der Vaart didn't disappoint his coach by scoring the 0-9, just before halftime. Before him Sneijder and Wamberto (2) already had lifted the score up to eight. Nine goals at half-time... It was Ajax's biggest score so far.

In the second half a completely different Ajax was on the pitch. Not only because Koeman lined up other players, but especially because these players played with a total different style and attitude. Koeman: "In the second half we walked too much with the ball. These players ran more than the players in the first half, but it wasn't efficient. In the first half we played much more direct, letting the ball do the job."

This showed, as Ajax didn't manage to produce more than only one goal in the second half. It was - a first Ajax milestone for him - scored by Romanian trainee Nicolai Mitea. The most remarkable and happiest moment in the second half, however, was the return of Johnny Heitinga after ten months of injuries, surgery and recovery. "It went very well", Heitinga said after the match. "I still play very carefully, since this is only the second week for me to play with the group. I hope that I can play again next Saturday."

It is generally expected that newcomer Julien Escudé will play his first minutes as an Ajacied on that day. The Frenchman arrived at the training camp in De Lutte on Thursday, but was not fielded against Koninklijke UD, hours after having signed his Ajax contract and travelled to The Netherlands in the past few days. He will almost certainly see his first action in Ajax's next friendy, against the local pride of the village of Ermelo: DVS '33. (BV)

Source: Ajax.nl

GOALS

• 02'  0-1  Wesley Sneijder
• 05'  0-2  Wamberto
• 09'  0-3  Wamberto
• 18'  0-4  Jari Litmanen
• 23'  0-5  Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• 32'  0-6  Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• 36'  0-7  Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• 38'  0-8  Jari Litmanen
• 40'  0-9  Rafaël van der Vaart
• 61' 0-10  Nicolai Mitea

Referee: Uittenboogaard
Cards: none
Attendance: 4,000

Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; De Jong, Van Damme, Obodai (54. heitinga), Maxwell (46. Bergdølmo); Litmanen (46. Yakubu), Van der Vaart (46. Sonck), Sneijder (46. Mitea); Pienaar, Ibrahimovic, Wamberto.

Koninklijke UD line-up: Beerthuizen (64. Van Dam); Karademir (64. Arslan), De Knegt (46. Kök), Van den Berg, Berends (46. Charnotski), Akar (64. Krake), Brussaard (46. Bos), Stempher, Kuils (46. Ozcan; Kuils later returned replacing Hageraats, 85'), Hageraats (85. Kuils), Harte (64. Klosters).

Related Links:

• Discussion: Pre-Season and Friendly Games
• SuperShota: video highlights
• Ajax.nl: Match report in Dutch