'Young Ajax' fall to play-off competitors Groningen: 3-2
3 (2) - 2
(1)
Eredivisie
Euroborg, Groningen
Sunday, 19 March, 2006
This winter FC Groningen left 'good old' Oosterpark
Stadium, not only a legendary Dutch football
ground, but also one where Ajax held
a remarkably magnificent record: the last time Ajax lost
an Eredivisie away game at Groningen was on 08 May 1988
(2-1). Since that day the Amsterdammers allowed Groningen only
two draws at their own ground, and booked 13 wins. In those 15
encounters in Groningen Ajax netted an almost
unbelievable number of goals: 46, an average of more
than three per visit.
But that's just history. Today, Ajax played at Groningen's
wonderful new Euroborg for the first time... and lost:
3-2. It wasn't exactly a meaningless defeat, either. Not
only did it mark the end of a string of six
Eredivisie matches in which Ajax remained unbeaten;
it also marks the beginning of a very, very
tricky final sprint for play-off qualification. Ajax are still
4th, but Utrecht, Groningen and Heerenveen closed in.
If Ajax lose another game, both Utrecht and Groningen will
be within 'striking range'.
The hosts totally and utterly deserved the
win. Absolutely no question about it. Groningen were the
better team for almost the entire 90 minutes. In the first
half Ajax could reasonably keep up; in the second half
they were sometimes outplayed by the physically superior home
team. It was men against boys. Ajax never looked like they were
going to win.
16 year-old Vurnon Anita made his
official début in an extremely
young and injury-battered Ajax-1 team. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
Question is: can Ajax (or coach Danny Blind) be blamed for
that? Answer: hardly. Injuries and
suspensions are normally a poor excuse, but the
length of Ajax's list of absentees for the Groningen game
was downright bizarre. As expected Galásek,
Grygera, Sneijder, Mitea, Heitinga, Manucharyan and
Emanuelson were missing due to injuries. Juanfran was
suspended. The names of Trabelsi (injured) and Maduro
(ill) could be added to the list after Friday's last training.
And to make matters worse Steven Pienaar had to be replaced in
Groningen, after only 32 minutes. That's ten
absentees, including eight starters.
When 17 year-old Jeffrey Sarpong replaced Pienaar, there
were two Young Ajax players on the pitch (Timisela, Boakye)
plus two A-juniors (Sarpong, Anita), with the latter still
young enough to play for a team
of B-juniors. Midfielder Vurnon Anita is 16 years old
and generally considered to be one of the most precious gems of
De Toekomst. Out of all the teenagers on the team,
Anita made the by far best impression. Unfortunately, the two
rookies in Ajax's light-weight defense (Timisela and Boakye)
were less impressive. They couldn't be blamed for losing almost
every duel against a Groningen striker, but fact is that
their irresolute defending (perhaps the word 'naive' is
appropriate here...) eventually cost Ajax the game.
As usual Groningen started fiercely. In the 8th minute Koen
van de Laak showed up in front of Maarten Stekelenburg on an
Erik Nevland flick, but fired into Stekelenburg's body.
One minute later the Ajax goalie punched a Gijs Luirink
screamer out of the corner in spectacular style. And another
three minutes later Ajax were a goal down, after Thomas
Vermaelen had handled a Glen Salmon header. A bit
unfortunate, but definitely a correct call from referee Blom.
Russian midfielder Yevgeni Levchenko rocketed home from the
spot: 1-0 (13').
For a few minutes it felt like Ajax were about to go K.O.,
but - quite surprisingly - the equalizer was on the
score-board only four minutes later. Markus Rosenberg
received the ball on the right flank and delivered a wonderful
cross to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who calmly levelled the
score with a diving header, his 28th Eredivisie goal of the
season -- and his 11th as an Ajacied.
The Groningen storm died down almost immediately after
Huntelaar's goal. The latter half hour of the first half was
downright boring. On a positive note: it was also the only
phase of the game in which Ajax were more or less equal to
their physically superior opposition. There were hardly any
noteworthy moments, and even less scoring chances (or quality
football, for that matter).
1-1. Not a bad half-time score for Ajax, you'd say. But it
wasn't to be. In stoppage time of the first half the home side
took the lead for the second time. Levchenko pumped the ball
into the Ajax goalmouth, where Danny Buijs proved stronger
and smarter than Ajax's teenage defenders, creating
the space for Erik Nevland to slot home: 2-1 (45+2').
The goal hit Ajax hard: after the 15 minute break they still
weren't over it, apparently. Groningen were not in complete
control of the game. Almost every aerial duel was won. Almost
every high ball caused panic in the Ajax defense. The hosts
would have wrapped it all up by the 60th minute if it
wasn't for Maarten Stekelenburg, who turned a Silva cracker
around the post, and Thomas Vermaelen, the 'experienced
man' in the heart of Ajax's defense, who denied Erik
Nevland a couple of times. A second Ajax equalizer?
It seemed unlikely. It had to be scored out of nowhere.
Want to know the
colour of the 'mystery card' in referee Blom's hand?
As Thomas Vermaelen's face suggests, it
is rather scarletty... [Photo: Ajax.nl]
And that's exactly what happened. Danny Blind had brought
Angelos Charisteas on for Mauro Rosales in the 63rd minute and
the Greek had two or three good actions immediately upon
his arrival. In the 68th minute the Groningen defense
seemed to pay attention to him and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
when Nourdin Boukhari's corner kick sailed into the penalty
box. It landed on the forehead of Thomas Vermaelen, who
resolutely nodded home: 2-2 (68'). It was an equalizer that
Ajax hardly deserved.
2-2... It would have been a splendid result, but once
again: it wasn't to be. Less than three minutes later Groningen
took the lead yet again. Defender Antoine van der Linden rushed
forward with the ball at his foot. He seemed to lose it to
Ajax's youngest defenders, Timisela and Boakye, who the failed
to clear, thereby giving Van der Linden a second chance to
fire. The defender's stunningly beautiful left-footed screamer
slammed home behind Maarten Stekelenburg, in the top corner:
3-2 (71').
A third equalizer...? It seemed a 'mission impossible',
especially when Thomas Vermaelen blocked a Levchenko shooting
attempt too aggressively in the 78th minute and received his
second yellow card. The fact that Huntelaar and Charisteas
actually came quite close to equalizing in the dying minutes
makes Ajax's defeat even more bitter: a win of 'only' 3-2
against an Ajax 'nursery class'... You can never prove it, and
Groningen couldn't care less, but this felt like a game that a
'normal' Ajax side would have won.
"Groningen deserved the 3-2 win based on their
dominance and the problems that we had," said Danny Blind.
"Yet, we fought back well. Twice. But eventually we couldn't do
the job."
Ajax are still 4th, with 50 points, followed by Utrecht
(49), Groningen (47) and Heerenveen (46). The race for play-off
qualification is worryingly 'open' with five more league games
to go. The good news: on Wednesday, when Ajax can advance to
the final of the Gatorade Cup by beating Roda, Juanfran will be
available again, whereas Trabelsi, Maduro
and Galásek are expected to be fit and
ready for action. Danny Blind will need
them. (MP)
GOALS
- 13' 1-0 Yevgeni Levchenko (penalty)
- 17' 1-1 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
- 45' 2-1 Erik Nevland
- 68' 2-2 Thomas Vermaelen
- 71' 3-2 Antoine van der Linden
Referee: Blom
Yellow cards: Huntelaar,
Boukhari (Ajax), Matthijs, Van de Laak (FC
Groningen)
Red card: Vermaelen (78', 'double
yellow')
Attendance: 19,814
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Timisela,
Boakye, Vermaelen, Lindenbergh; Pienaar (32. Sarpong), Anita,
Boukhari; Rosales (65. Charisteas), Huntelaar, Rosenberg (80.
Babel).
FC Groningen line-up: Roorda;
Matthijs (46. Silva), Luirink, Sankoh, Van der Linden; Buijs,
Lindgren, Van de Laak (90. Fledderus), Levchenko; Salmon,
Nevland (88. Cornelisse).
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