Sonck brace gives Ajax convincing win over Club Brugge
2 (1) - 0
(0)
Champions League, Group Stage
Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
Wednesday, 01 October, 2003
There's no reason to be ashamed about a 1-0 defeat at AC
Milan. However, Ajax's unlucky stumble at San Siro made Ajax's
the first Champions League home fixture one that had to be won.
And it was, as a remarkably mature and professional Ajax side
saw Wesley Sonck became the 'Big Man' against the reigning
champions of his fatherland: Club Brugge. Sonck, booed and
whistled at by the 3,000 travelling Belgian fans, came face to
face with goalkeeper Butina twice and netted on both occasions:
2-0.
Ajax's well deserved victory catapults the Amsterdam side
from fourth to second in Group H. But that wasn't the best news
on the night. Coach Ronald Koeman must have been particularly
delighted by the impressive way in which Sonck passed his
'European exam' and - most of all - the calm, mature and
professional way in which the three points were pocketed.
Sonck celebrates scoring against
Club Brugge. [Photo: Gerard van Hees/Ajax.nl]
It must be said that the black-and-blue from Bruges were
heavily battered by injuries and suspensions. Norwegian coach
Trond Sollied had to miss out on his striker couple of
preference (Sandy Martens and Andres Mendoza) as well as his
creative 'number ten', Alin Stoica. Sollied had to improvise in
offense and came up with a defensive formation in which his
tall, strong countryman Bengt Sæternes was the lone
striker, with Gert Verheyen playing directly behind him.
Sæternes, in particular, failed miserably and never
was the 'target man' Sollied hoped he would be. 'Club' hardly
made it to the Ajax half anyway in the opening phase, in which
both Sonck and the hard-working Zlatan Ibrahimovic tested
Butina's goalkeeping qualities with fine shots. Ajax's first
real chance followed in the 11th minute and it was a bingo
straight away: a Galásek pass was stylishly flicked on
with the heel by Ibrahimovic, who sent Sonck on his way to
Butina. The Belgian remained stone cold for his first European
goal for Ajax: 1-0. How important to score early against a
physically strong opponent known for its lethal
counter-attacks. Club Brugge is an opponent from the Rosenborg
and Grazer AK category, a category Ajax traditionally has
problems with.
Ajax players lining up to
congradulate Sonck. [Photo: Gerard van Hees/Ajax.nl]
Sonck's goal forced the Belgians to attack and it must be
said that they did this convincingly for some twenty minutes.
Their best chance to equalize came only three minutes after the
goal, as Petri Pasanen's erratic backpass put Sæternes
face-to-face with Lobont. The Norwegian, however, wasted too
much time walking around the diving Ajax goalie, so that Julien
Escudé arrived on time to clear Sæternes'
finishing attempt off the line.
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Fan violence
There was large-scale fights between Amsterdam and
Bruges hooligans before and after the game. The trouble
started in Leidseplein, as a large group of Club Brugge
hooligans stormed into a bar. Furniture and glasses
were thrown at the riot police. 95 fans were arrested,
81 of whom were supporters of Club Brugge.
Ajax hooligans pelted the arriving Belgian
supporters with bricks outside of the visitors section
of the Amsterdam ArenA. After the game, Ajax supporters
once again attempted to attack the Club Brugge support.
This time riot police had to use a water cannon to
disperse the hooligans.
There was no trouble inside the Amsterdam ArenA
during the game. (MP)
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Escudé was, no doubt, one of Ajax's best on the
night: stylish and creative as the architect of Ajax's attacks,
flawless in defense, accurate in his passing. The Frenchman was
the main reason why Club Brugge hardly created any real danger
after Sæternes' chance. A double Butina save was required
five minutes before the half-time break, as Hatem Trabelsi's
pass gave Wesley Sonck the space to release a furious shot.
Butina couldn't hold on to it, so that the rebound was for Tom
Soetaers. Butina saved again.
Soetaers, by the way, was probably Ajax's weakest link -
alongside Rafaël van der Vaart, who missed Sunday's Willem
II match due to an injury and had a disappointing comeback.
Soetaers did not return for the second half. His replacement,
Wesley Sneijder, had a fine second half and was in fact the man
to send Sonck on his way to make it 2-0, a goal almost
identical to the first one.
Club Brugge's resistance seemed instantly broken. In the
remaining 35 minutes Sæternes claimed a penalty for a
scrimmage with Escudé and Pasanen, but referee Barber
was right in not giving it. When Philippe Clement saw his
slamming 90th minute header punched out of the Ajax goal by
Bogdan Lobont it was already to late.
In the latter 20 minutes in particular Ajax maintained
possession in stylish and mature fashion. Big chances were not
created, but it says a lot that a Belgian goal was never really
in the air. This is a major difference with almost every game
of last season's Champions League run: in all of those games
there was a phase in which Ajax could have collapsed (although
they usually didn't). This season's Ajax, however, calmly
remained upright in the second half. As a result, Ajax vs Club
Brugge was not Ajax's flashiest or best Champions League
performance of the past two years, but arguably one of the most
sovereign ones. Moreover: Ajax never won by a difference of two
goals last in last season's Champions League.
"We were very effective", said Ronald Koeman after the game,
"because we didn't get too many chances. It is often said that
Dutch clubs can not play effectively, so I think the team realy
deserves a compliment for the way it played in the second
half."
Wesley Sonck, for one, was not very impressed with his
countrymen. "Maybe they had two chances: a big one in the first
half, after an error in our defense. Their chance in the second
half was more like half a chance. (...) Brugge couldn't really
become dangerous. As for us, I think we exploited our qualities
well, especially in the second half."
Club Brugge's situation in Group H is not too hopeful: one
point and two confrontations with AC Milan coming up. As for
Ajax? In the words of Zlatan Ibrahimovic: "We're back in
business." (MP)
GOALS
- 11' 1-0 Wesley Sonck
- 54' 2-0 Wesley Sonck
Referee: Barber (England)
Yellow cards: Soetaers, Pasanen, Van der
Vaart, De Jong (Ajax), Englebert (Club Brugge)
Attendance: 49,371
Ajax line-up: Lobont; Trabelsi, Pasanen,
Escudé, Maxwell; Pienaar (60. De Jong), Galásek,
Van der Vaart (77. Van Damme), Soetaers (46. Sneijder); Sonck,
Ibrahimovic.
Club Brugge line-up: Butina; De Cock, Clement,
Simons, Rozehnal, Van der Heyden; Cornelis, Englebert (64.
Ceh), Verheijen, Gvozdenovic (79. Simic); Sæternes (86.
Lange).
Other Group H result:
Celta de Vigo - AC Milan 0-0
Group H Standings:
AC Milan 2-4 (1-0)
Ajax 2-3 (2-1)
Celta de Vigo 2-2 (1-1)
Club Brugge 2-1 (1-3)
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