Advantage... AZ
2 (1) - 1
(1)
Eredivisie Playoffs
DSB Stadium, Alkmaar
Sunday, 20 May, 2007
AZ and Ajax, two teams shut out of an Eredivisie
title by the slimmest of margins, now battle each other
for a lucrative spot in next season's Champions
League. They had tied on all three prior meetings this
season (with
the KNVB Cup going to Ajax only after penalty shots),
so you knew it would be close. But today's was the first
AZ vs Ajax encounter of the season that had a winner
after 90 minutes, namely the hosts from Alkmaar (2-1). AZ were
the slightly better team, in the first minutes (1-0), in
the final minutes (2-1) and for much of the time in between.
Last-gasp victory, yes. Deserved? You can say so, but Ajax
still very much alive: the Amsterdammers must try to
overturn AZ's slim advantage in next week's return
fixture at the Amsterdam ArenA.
If Ajax fans were hoping for a confident beginning in a
vibrant DSB Stadium, they were quickly disappointed. A bad
give-away by Urby Emanuelson led to an easy goal for Simon
Cziommer in just the second minute of the match. Devastating,
but the Amsterdammers responded well and it quickly began to
feel like an equalizer was likely. Ryan Babel seemed
particularly dangerous, turning defenders on their heels and
taking the ball confidently to goal. But if his
dribbling was brilliant - and it was! - his finishing and
passing were both disappoining, to put it dilplomatically. No
fewer than three great self-created chances were wasted. At one
point, Babel chose to shoot from an unlikely angle instead of
slipping the ball across goal to an unmarked Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar. The latter's frustration was unmistakeable.
Still, a goal seemed to be coming, and it arrived in the
11th minute thanks to a moment of individual
brilliance from Wesley Sneijder. A long pass across field
found Sneijer on the left flank. He had enough time to control
it, then left two defenders in his wake with a series of
masterful feints before unleashing an unstoppable shot from
twenty yards out: 1-1.
George Ogararu tries to
contain an on-form De Zeeuw . [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
Not surprisingly, the goal lifted Ajax. A second goal seemed
possible, even likely. But again, finishing was a problem. In
addition to Babel squandering his chances, Huntelaar seemed
meandering and rather tentative in front of goal, not even
attempting a shot until the 24th minute.
After a frantic start, both teams receeded into more orderly
and defensive formations. While AZ continued to enjoy more
minutes of possession, neither team seemed capable of
separating itself from the other for much of the
remainder of the first half. It was a tight, tense,
defensive struggle, which you might have expected
with so much on the line, but it was - at the same time - a bit
of a surprise from two teams known for their offensive
philosophies.
The exception for the men from Alkmaar was Demy de Zeeuw. It
seems unlikely for a team with great goal-getters like
Arveladze, Cziommer and Martens that their best chances
would come from a typically steady but unremarkable midfielder.
But there he was, time and again, vexing the Ajax defense and
forcing the best out of Maarten Stekelenburg. De Zeeuw very
nearly broke the tie midway through the half, but the Ajax
keeper was just able to turn his wicked shot around the post at
full stretch.
Just a few minutes later, AZ thought they had
broken the deadlock when defender Ryan Donk found the back
of the net from a free-kick. But the goal was disallowed -
correctly, as replays confirmed - because Steinsson had fouled
Huntelaar prior to the telling touch.
Referee Roelof Luinge seemed a bit less vindicated a few
minutes later, after refusing to award Ajax a free kick when
Sneijder was apparently bundled down just outside the penalty
area. In the ensuing counter-attack, AZ were awarded a corner
kick despite the last touch seeming to have come off an Almkaar
player's foot. TV replays suggested both decisions were
incorrect. Still, AZ could not take advantage, and the half
ended without much more drama.
Roger and Simon Cziommer
are airborne. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Right at the beginning of the second half, Cziommer won a
dangerous free kick with a flamboyant tumble. After an
excellent delivery, a rocket of a first-time strike by Martens
required an amazing reflex save by Stekelenburg. He needed
all his skill and a fair amount of luck to stop the close-range
shot.
Disaster averted for a time, but AZ seemed to be getting
their hands around the game. Once again, De Zeeuw was the
source of most of Ajax's troubles. The Amsterdammers struggled
to maintain even a little bit of possession. Still, AZ couldn't
seem to break down a well-organized bunker defense.
Along with all this frantic action at one end of the pitch,
there was also a gradually increasing absense of Ajax's
attacking prowess. Sneijder and Perez had both drifted
completely out of the game, while poor Huntelaar seemed almost
apathetic, stranded up front without service and unsure how to
insert himself into the attack. Ten Cate's decision to take him
off seemed understandable, but his replacement - Olaf
Lindenbergh - was a bit of a head-scratcher, as Ajax needed
offensive creativity to break the deadlock. Meanwhile, AZ
readied their own super-sub, top goalscorer Danny Koevermans,
who came on just a few minutes later for Martens. Another Ajax
substitute, Tom De Mul, seemed to re-awaken the Amsterdammers'
intentions, adding width and creativity to the attack.
As the pace quickenened, there were some wide-open chances
for both teams. Still, the decisive goal wouldn't come.
Sneijder. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
In the 88th minute, Emanuelson took
an injury (it looked bad, as he was carried off and
directly into the dressing rooms) and was replaced by
Nicolae Mitea. Replacing a pacey defender with a flighty
forward... a gamble for sure. Would it pay off?
In a word: no.
Just as Ajax seemed certain of having ground out an
uninspiring but deserved tie, up popped former Ajax great Shota
Arveladze. A clever flick-on from man-of-the-match De Zeeuw put
the Georgian hitman face to face with Stekelenburg. Some quick
footwork took him past the Ajax keeper but also put him well
wide of the goal. Lightning fast reactions allowed him to
turn the ball back just inside the post, and now he
needed only to dribble across the line to score a 92nd
minute goal, a dagger to the hearts of his former
teammates.
Fair result? Perhaps. AZ were nominally better on the day,
but things could have been quite different if Ajax had finished
more than one of the many great chances they created for
themselves.
Now, the Amsterdammers face a real challenge: they must
snatch a victory off a team they've been unable to beat in four
tries this season. And they'll have to go once again without
their stalwart captain Jaap Stam (hamstring injury) and their
beating heart Wesley Sneijder, who was booked in stoppage time
for a completely pointless and petulant tackle. He'll miss the
final game of the season due to accumulated yellow cards. It
could have been a straight red, but that might not have made a
difference, as Sneijder may well have played his last
match for Ajax. (JM)
GOALS
- 02' 1-0 Simon Cziommer
- 11' 1-1 Wesley Sneijder
- 90' 2-1 Shota Arveladze
Referee: Luinge
Yellow cards: Cziommer, De Zeeuw,
Luirink (AZ), Roger, Sneijder, De Mul (Ajax)
Attendance: 17,000
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Ogararu,
Van der Wiel, Vermaelen, Emanuelson (89. Mitea); Heitinga,
Sneijder, Roger; Perez (73. De Mul), Huntelaar (68.
Lindenbergh), Babel.
AZ line-up: Waterman; Steinsson (53.
Luirink), Donk, Jaliens, De Cler; Jenner (79. Lens), De Zeeuw,
Cziommer, Martens (72. Koevermans), Boukhari; Arveladze.
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