Ajax USA  

Ajax 'stay-at-homes' beat Ghana: 2-1

 

2 (1) - 1 (0)
Friendly
De Toekomst, Amsterdam
 Wednesday, 09 February, 2005

Ajax head-coach Ronald Koeman would have preferred to work with his full squad the whole week and talk about the team's painful home stumbles against Den Haag and Twente. Unfortunately, though, most of the Ajax-1 players are currently 'on tour' with their national teams, so that the Ajax team that took on the national team of Ghana in a friendly at De Toekomst today looked a lot like Young Ajax, including the coaches (John van den Brom and Fred Grim). The unusual Ajax 'combination team' won the fixture, 2-1, thanks to a brace of goals by Rasmus Lindgren.


Rasmus Lindgren, who scored both Ajax goals, battles Anthony Obodai,
usually an Ajax teammate but a guest star of Ghana this day. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

The match was just a friendly kickabout on a rainy Wednesday afternoon, but there was a tremendous atmosphere at De Toekomst. Approximately a thousand of colourfully dressed Ghanaians from the nearby Amsterdam suburb of Bijlmermeer showed up, singing, dancing and banging their drums. They were thoroughly entertained by their national team, especially when Juventus' Stephen Appiah showed what he can do with a ball. 

The Ghana roster included Abubakari Yakubu (loaned out by Ajax to Vitesse) and Anthony Obodai. The latter was banned from the Ajax-1 squad by Ronald Koeman for repeatedly showing up late for training - and now played against his Ajax-1 and Young Ajax team-mates. The two Ghanese Ajacieden faced a team in which John O'Brien saw 90 minutes of action and first teamers Escudé, Rosales and Maxwell played one half.

The result was the least important thing at De Toekomst. For the record: Ajax took the lead in the 40th minute, as Yannis Anastasiou turned well and tapped the ball to Rasmus Lindgren, who could easily finish. The Swedish Young Ajax captain has been remarkably productive (four goals) in nine friendlies for Ajax, but hasn't made his official first team début yet. Lindgren also scored Ajax's second, eleven minutes before the end and once again on a fine Anastasiou assist. Two minutes earlier John Paintsil had set the stand filled with Africans on fire by equalizing for Ghana.


Ghana supporters were out in force for this festive game. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

More important than the result was the fact that John O'Brien played for 90 minutes without any pain or injury trouble (he even wore the captain's armband in the second half!) - and that the coaches could see Young Ajax players such as Argentinians Rusculleda and Sangoy in action against top flight opposition. Ghanese stars such as captain Sammy Kuffour (Bayern München) and Michael Essien (Olympique Lyon) were missing, but the side included players such as Stephen Appiah (Juventus), Hans Adu Sarpei (VfL Wolfsburg) and Matthew Amoah (Vitesse).

One of Young Ajax's Argentines, Sebastian Rusculleda, lasted for only eight minutes. He left the pitch injured and was replaced by one of the two players picked from Danny Blind's Ajax A1 team: Jasper Kok (Javier Martina was the second).

"I thought it was fun to play against Ajax for a change," Anthony Obodai said after the game, "but I do think we should have won."

It is as yet unknown when Ronald Koeman will add the Ghanese midfielder to the Ajax-1 squad again. Obodai's services would be more than welcome on Sunday, as Ajax will travel to NAC Breda without midfielders Rafaël van der Vaart (suspended) and Wesley Sneijder, who sustained an injury in training with Oranje in England. (MP)

Source: Ajax.nl, GhanaWeb.com

GOALS

  • 40'  1-0  Rasmus Lindgren
  • 76'  1-1  John Painstil
  • 78'  2-1  Rasmus Lindgren

Referee: Steegstra
Yellow cards: Kok (Ajax), Pappoe, Yakubu (Ghana) 
Attendance: 1,300

Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; O'Brien, Kras, Escudé (46. Sahadewsing), Maxwell (46. Martina); Rusculleda (08. Kok), Aborah, Lindgren; Tiberkanine, Anastasiou, Rosales (46. Sangoy).  

Ghana line-up: Owu; Pappoe, Amponsah, Mensah (46. Boateng), Adu Sarpei (46. Osei); Obodai (46. Yakubu), Amoah (46. Painstil), Appiah, Gyan; Muntari, Attram.

Related Links: