Ajax thrash RKC Waalwijk in season opener: 5-0
5 (2) - 0 (0)
Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Sunday, 20 August, 2006
Ajax ran out deserved winners by 5-0 in front of a very muted crowd that - even before a ball had been kicked - seemed to have decided that Ajax were going to win by a mile and that the game therefore wasn't worth getting over-excited about. Whether this had something to do with the way RKC Waalwijk always appear to crumble when they enter the gladatorial ArenA or confidence in the new Ajax is open to debate. Since the opening of the Amsterdam ArenA in 1996, RKC in ten matches managed only 6 goals, whilst conceding 32 with Ajax taking all the points on offer, apart from in 1999, when RKC travelled back to Waalwijk with all three points.
George Ogararu started on the bench, but had to replace an injured
Zdenek Grygera after only three minutes... [Photo: Ajax.nl]
The 46,000+ crowd only appeared to awake from its Sunday afternoon slumbers when the five goals were scored and when the news filtered through of the score from Groningen, where Feyenoord were taking a painful battering (3-0). Maybe the pitch being covered by the roof, due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in the area made for far too cosy an atmosphere.
That is not to say that Ajax did not play well, although they didn't have to raise their game too highly to beat RKC by five clear goals. However, the result didn't appear to have the total approval of coach Ten Cate when after the game he stated: "I am pleased with the result, but not with our play. Too many small things went wrong. We passed too slowly in the first half. When we passed the ball forward to the striker, the midfielders didn't connect quickly enough. I want that to improve. And after our fourth goal we should have pressed for more. In my opinion we should have been at the top of the table after today, with a better goal-differential than AZ."
The new coach has a burning desire in his native Amsterdam to succeed and appears to be a person who will not to tolerate anything less than perfection. The best Ajacied on the day was Gabri, whose work-rate and football skills were exemplary. The former Barça man appeared to pop up everywhere on the pitch and as such it was very difficult to work out which position he was meant to be playing in. All phases of his play were really excellent.
As for the other players... George Ogararu (who had to replace an injured Grygera after three minutes, who picked up a hamstring injury after only 16 seconds of football!), Mauro Rosales and Jaap Stam had fine games throughout. The defence looked a reasonably solid unit although RKC tried, especially in the first half, to exploit the gaps behind Urby Emanuelson.
Henk ten Cate praised Ryan Babel for his performance. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Ryan Babel started very well, but seemed to fade after his excellent headed goal (Ajax's first of the afternoon) from a wonderful Rosales cross in the 34th minute. However, coach Ten Cate appears to see things differently: "It felt to me like Ryan has been a first team player for years, but then I noticed he's only nineteen. Which is four years younger than Huntelaar. He can become really, really big. Great player, great talent. But he will have to develop almost every aspect of his play and for that he needs to feel free in his mind. I think that our approach is working. We encourage him and focus on his qualities. To me the glass is never half-empty."
Praise indeed from the coach.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had a frustrating afternoon and was well marshalled by the RKC defenders, who throughout the game appeared to have decided not to wait until after the game for the ceremonial swapping of shirts and proceeded to pull his shirt at every opportunity when they thought the referee and his assistants were unable to see. However, 'KJH' still made telling contributions to two of the three second half goals.
Ten Cate, like many Dutch coaches, appears to have no qualms in handing out admonishments to players in public. This week it was Klaas-Jan's turn to come under fire from the coach: "This wasn't his best game. We mostly passed the ball into his feet and he spent too much time with his back towards the goal. He must focus on what he's good at: scoring goals."
Ajax's other goals came from Wesley Sneijder who fired in a low shot to the bottom left hand corner just before half-time, to make the game safe at 2-0. After the break Johnny Heitinga scored an opportunist poacher's goal (52') from close range (referee Wiedemeijer could have disallowed it due to 'dangerous play' by Huntelaar), followed by goals in the 69th and 89th minutes by Wesley Sneijder and the bubbly Mauro Rosales. Sneijder was brought down from behind when he had a free passage to the RKC goal, but managed to push the ball under goalkeeper Van Dijk while stumbling. Rosales nicely cut to the edge of the penalty box on Ryan Babel's cross from the left - and fired home with a well-aimed, left-footed shot.
All in all, a very good day at the office, with the players on show appearing to be a fitter bunch of than in recent years. Yes, it was 'only' RKC, but you can only beat what is put in front of you and Ajax did this with style, supplying the fans with something that was often missing from the games last season, namely: entertainment.
The only niggling doubt left: does this team have a flair player that can turn a game around with a touch of genius? Time will tell. Ajax now move on to completing the important job of qualifying for the group phase of the Champions League on Wednesday - and will then visit the wounded NAC next Sunday. (Bill Bryden)
GOALS
- 34' 1-0 Ryan Babel
- 44' 2-0 Wesley Sneijder
- 52' 3-0 John Heitinga
- 69' 4-0 Wesley Sneijder
- 89' 5-0 Mauro Rosales
Referee: Wiedemeijer
Yellow cards: Stam, Gabri, Maduro (Ajax), Teixeira, Van Mosselveld, Berger (RKC Waalwijk)
Attendance: 46,688
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Heitinga, Stam, Grygera (03. Ogararu), Emanuelson; Gabri (59. Roger), Maduro, Sneijder (71. Perez); Rosales, Huntelaar, Babel.
RKC Waalwijk line-up: Van Dijk; Teixeira, Donk, Van Mosselveld, Vicelich; Van Diemen, Fuchs (46. Berger), Reuser; García (59. Remacle), Van der Haar (70. Putter), Janssen.
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