Rosenberg strikes again as Ajax squeak past Willem II: 1-0
1 (0) - 0 (0)
Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Wednesday, 08 February 2006
It wasn't good, it wasn't pretty and it didn't feel
like the 'first step to recovery', but in the words of Danny
Blind, "that's not what it's about at this point": "I am
pleased with the three points. That's the only thing that
counts right now. Our first half was poor, the second a bit
better." Ajax's desperate efforts were just good
enough for a 1-0 home win over the Eredivisie's second weakest:
Willem II from Tilburg.
The only goal was scored in the 55th minute and it
really says everything that it was pretty much the first
highlight of the evening, from an Ajax perspective. It was a
co-production by arguably Ajax's only two on-form players of
this moment: Urby Emanuelson and Markus Rosenberg. The first
contributed a pristine cross from the left flank, the latter a
superb header for his 8th goal in the last 10 games. The Swede
scored one goal in each of Ajax's last five Eredivisie
matches.
Lindenbergh wore the captain's
armband in the second half. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Rosenberg's goal elicited ironic chants from the
stands: "We go for Europe!", "We are the champions!" and
"They're getting a lesson in football!". The Ajax supporters
decided to press their tongues firmly in their cheeks and have
some fun, after having been bored out of their skulls for
almost an hour. Ajax hardly managed a shot on goal in the first
half. One of the better attempts came from Jeffrey Sarpong, who
played from the start for the first time, in default of Wesley
Sneijder, who will be rested for a few weeks so that his
persistent hamstring injury can heal completely. Sarpong's 34th
minute strike was turned around the post by goalkeeper
Peersman.
The by far best chance in the first 45 minutes was, quite
shockingly, for the struggling visitors from Tilburg. In the
29th minute Thomas Vermaelen's backpass was completely miss-hit
by goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who passed it straight to
Willem II striker Anouar Hadouir, who was so
surprised by this unexpected 'assist' that he slipped and
failed to tap home.
After the game Danny Blind used Stekelenburg's error as
evidence for his claim that several Ajacieden are afraid
to face their home crowd at the moment. "What I see on the
pitch is a team that doesn't like to play at home. Players
start making mistakes that really don't have anything to do
with a lack of talent. It's got to do with a lack of support.
They are afraid to make mistakes. What we need in this phase is
support, not cynicism."
Robbert Schilder made his
official Ajax-1 début, replacing Jeffrey
Sarpong (who started for the first time). [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
A remarkable statement from the Ajax boss. It is, in spite
of the fact that there is some truth in it, very
clearly a statement from a desperate
man. Danny Blind's Ajax grabbed three points against
Willem II, and may be expected to pocket a few more wins in
upcoming games (against lowly sides such as ADO Den Haag
and RBC Roosendaal), but it must be extremely
worrying to him that his team hardly improves, three points or
not.
Admittedly, the Amsterdammers started playing better after
Rosenberg's opening goal. With a little luck the
hosts could have scored more goals. Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar had a chance, but arrived a split second late to
beat Peersman. And Mauro Rosales's 83rd minute corner
was drilled over the cross-bar by Zdenek
Grygera. At the other end, Willem II were powerless
and hardly ever threatening.
In the second half Ajax had to do without their captain,
Tomás Galásek, who had to be
replaced due to a muscular injury that will keep him
sidelined for some two weeks. Galásek, struggling
with his form in recent weeks, was not seriously missed. In
fact, Olaf Lindenbergh proved a considerably more
inspired team captain in the second half when it comes to
coaching and correcting team-mates.
Ajax vs Willem II was a very 'forgettable' game, except for
one Ajax player: Robbert Schilder. The Young Ajacied was added
to the first squad in the winter break and made his official
Ajax-1 début in the 83rd minute, replacing Jeffrey
Sarpong. Number 33 replaced number 38...
The game may have been unremarkable, Wednesday 08 February
was a good day for Ajax eventually: several other teams
that battle for play-off qualification, including Groningen,
NEC and Utrecht, lost their midweek games, so that jumped
from 8th to 6th, only one point behind the #4 (NEC).
Heerenveen, Ajax and Groningen all have 37 points. Heerenveen's
goal-differential is slightly better than Ajax's, Groningen's
slightly worse. Next up: Den Haag away.(MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, de Volkskrant
GOALS
Referee: Van Egmond
Yellow cards: Galásek
(Ajax), Assou-Ekotto (Willem II)
Attendance: 44,467
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Grygera,
Maduro, Vermaelen, Emanuelson (87. Juanfran); Galásek
(46. Heitinga), Sarpong (83. Schilder), Lindenbergh; Rosales,
Huntelaar, Rosenberg.
Willem II line-up: Peersman;
Janse, Van Nieuwstadt, Muslin, Valencia (79. Van der Haar);
Assou-Ekotto, Augustien (76. Bobson), Keenan, Wilmet, Dembele
(46. Kerekes), Hadouir.
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