"The last mile...": Ajax struggle to 0-0 tie at NEC

For the past two weeks Ajax and the rest of Amsterdam have talked about the celebrating of the Dutch championship: where are they going to take place and - most importantly - when exactly? After the team's fourth draw in the last five games (0-0 at NEC in Nijmegen) the time has come for the coaching staff to point out to the players that the championship celebrations could in theory still end up in downtown Eindhoven.

Ajax had a twelve point lead only three weeks ago. That lead is now down to six. The unexpected, slightly bizarre situation occurs that if Ajax books the same results in the next three games as in the previous three, the championship will go to PSV. Of course: Ajax boss Ronald Koeman is right when he says that the lead is still comfortable. But (and this is a sure thing) Ajax has squandered its opportunity to clinch the title in convincing style and to look good at the end of a rather gray season of football. Ajax probably will grab the title eventually, but will do it in a way that sums up the 2003-2004 season: dropping points against aggressive and 'physical' opposition and having trouble imposing its will on the average Eredivisie side. Ajax's away record is particularly poor: 15 road games were played so far, eight times the Amsterdammers could not win.

Painfully, there really were no excuses this time. In sold-out De Goffert in Nijmegen Ajax started with its most esteemed stars: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Steven Pienaar, Tomás Galásek and four Dutch internationals. The team's injury trouble is minimal at the moment: Wesley Sonck and Tom Soetaers returned to the squad. The latter played from the start and (it deserves a mention) showed better football in the first half than Victor Sikora ever did wearing the Ajax jersey.

Viktor Sikora is tackled by NEC defender. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

In fact, the entire Ajax team had a good start in Nijmegen and should have been in the lead at half-time. Ibrahimovic had a chance on a Pienaar cross almost immediately from kick-off, Rafaël van der Vaart had an open header opportunity and several Ajacieden forgot to simply tap home on a low Ibrahimovic cross. The very best chance was missed by the Swede himself, as a superb Heitinga pass gave him a free passage in the 36th minute. Face to face with goalkeeper Dennis Gentenaar, Ibrahimovic waited too long and failed to capitalize. NEC had only one real scoring opportunity in the first 45 minutes, albeit a major one (for Jarda Simr), similar to Ibrahimovic's face to face confrontation with Gentenaar.

However, just like against AZ (1-1), Feyenoord (1-1) and RBC Roosendaal (1-1) Ajax's second half was not nearly as convincing. Poor, in this particular case. Rafaël van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder hopelessly lost the battle in midfield against 'street fighter' Björn van der Doelen and NEC's splendid Paraguayan, Edgar Barreto. NEC was in control of the game throughout the second half and created more chances than Ajax, the best one being a close range shooting opportunity for Ajax loanee Youssouf Hersi. Bogdan Lobont was almost surprised by a Barreto free kick, well aimed at the low corner, while everyone was anticipating a cross.

The result was 0-0, but NEC vs Ajax was a spectacular and highly enjoyable game of football, with numerous chances at both ends. It was a miracle that no goals were scored. It underscores the outstanding performances of the two goalkeepers: Lobont and Gentenaar. The latter was voted 'Man of the Match' by the home crowd and fully deserved that title.

The very best chance of the second half was for Ajax. Zlatan Ibrahimovic gracefully slipped past two defenders in the 73rd minute and tapped the ball aside for an onstorming Rafaël van der Vaart, who fired hard from close range, but saw Gentenaar punch it out of the goalmouth with a miraculous reflex. An amazing save, it brought back traumatic memories of Van der Vaart's similar last minute finishing opportunity in Milan's San Siro earlier this season.

Ajax wanted to win, but was also afraid to lose. Ronald Koeman did not change Ajax's formation and refused to bring on an extra striker. Instead, he simply replaced three starters with a player for the same position. Daniël de Ridder and Wesley Sonck failed to make an impact, while Victor Sikora's clueless, downright pathetic performance only underscored his status of a 'bad buy'.

"This result is disappointing," said Ronald Koeman after the game, "but we really have to stay calm now. The lead is still fairly comfortable, but it is obvious that we are not in great form at the moment and that we have tremendous trouble scoring." 

In a recent interview with newspaper Algemeen Dagblad Koeman admitted that the Dutch championship of 2004 will not be remembered as a particularly glorious one. Which is best underscored by the fact that next week's trip to lowly FC Zwolle actually worries the average Ajacied. More than relegation candidates such as Vitesse and Volendam, Zwolle is fighting for survival in aggressive and convincing fashion (especially at home), grabbing 18 points out of the last 10 games - and seven points out of the last three. Which is, in fact, a lot more than Ajax grabbed out of the last three. 

If Ajax manages to beat Zwolle and PSV wins at Volendam next weekend, a last decisive point will be required in the home game against NAC Breda (09 May), an opponent that forced Ajax to its knees twice this season. The month of April saw only one (poor and rather lucky) win for Ajax, followed by three draws. It should serve as a warning to the Ajacieden, who will have to realize that the last four points will not be sent to the ArenA in the mail, and they will have to realize it right now. The last mile is the longest one. How true can old expressions be. (MP) 

NO GOALS

Referee: Wegereef
Yellow card: Demouge (NEC) 
Attendance: 12,500

Ajax line-up: Lobont; De Jong, Heitinga, Escudé, Maxwell; Galásek, Van der Vaart, Sneijder; Pienaar (78. De Ridder), Ibrahimovic (78. Sonck), Soetaers (63. Sikora).

NEC line-up: Gentenaar; Heije, Wisgerhof, Ebbinge, Zonneveld (79. Schuurman); Barreto, Van der Doelen, Hersi, Simr; Niedzielan (89. Tumba), Demouge.

Related Links:

• Discussion: Eredivisie Games
• Ajax.nl: Match report in Dutch and English