Mighty Ajax overwhelm champions
1 (0) - 5 (2)
Eredivisie
Philips Stadium, Eindhoven
Sunday, 18 March, 2007
Spectacular... What more can you say about Ajax'
overwhelming, lop-sided victory over reigning champions
PSV in Eindhoven today? Revenge? For sure! The margin equals
that of PSV's 0-4 triumph at the ArenA in 2005. Too
little too late? Quite possibly, as PSV still hold a 5
point lead over Ajax. Whatever you say about the match, you
can't have called it dull. It was remarkable, from
beginning to end. And in the end it was an epic victory
for Ajax (on the day of the club's 107th anniversary!), one
that at least makes the final six weeks interesting. Combined
with AZ's scoreless draw at Heracles, Ajax now stand alone in
second place.
Some statistics and historic background: it was Ajax's
first win at Philips Stadium since 23 October 1994 (1-4),
only their third in the last 25 seasons and their largest
win in Eindhoven since 19 January 1958 (0-5). For PSV it was
their largest home defeat since Sparta left Eindhoven with
a 1-5 win 40 years ago, in October 1967. In other words:
this one wasn't too bad... Remarkable fact: Ajax almost never
win in Eindhoven, but if they do it, they normally
lash out big time (1-4 in March 1989, 1-4 in October 1994 and
1-5 in March 2007).
Ajax began the match with the 'midfield control' line-up
that was
succesful at Twente last week, with Heitinga joining
Sneijder, Gabri and Davids in midfield in a 4-4-2 formation. It
seemed to work: Ajax players were 'in the face' of PSV each
time the hosts touched the ball. Aggressive, committed,
fired-up; these words describe the Amsterdammers' attitude
from the opening minute. This Ajax team had bite.
Initially, the only thing capable of subdueing Ajax's
aggressiveness was the yellow card of referee Eric
Braamhaar, which he showed twice to the visitors in the
opening fifteen minutes. And although some PSV players were
maybe a little too demonstrative after tackles, the yellow
cards were fully deserved, as first Grygera and then Heitinga
went into challenges quite recklessly. However, the message was
sent and received: Ajax intended to take the points,
not prisoners.
Huntelaar was engaged in a gritty
battle with Da Costa and Salcido (not pictured) all afternoon.
[Photo: Ajax.nl]
The visitors' aggressiveness was not confined to the
tackling, however. Ajax consistently displayed both intensity
and intelligence in attack. Ryan Babel looked particularly
dangerous throughout the first half, taking on defenders and
lashing shots on goal. PSV maintained a slight edge on
possession, but failed to do anything meaningful with it. Ajax,
meanwhile, were always threatening. PSV were forced to concede
a series of corner kicks.
The opening goal came in the 17th minute, from one of those
corners. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar eluded his marker, Salcido, to
power home a beautiful header that flashed across goal before
slamming into the far-side netting, leaving PSV's capable
goalkeeper Gomes without a chance of saving: 0-1.
What followed in the remaining 30 minutes was absolute
top-notch football: fast and attacking, nerve-wracking but not
nervous, intense but still elegant. Both teams fought for it.
Ajax continued to pressure their hosts, challenging for every
50-50 ball, taking chances in attack but defending well on the
inevitable counters. Jaap Stam was the anchor of that
defense: always well positioned, always vocal as he
martialed his teammates.
At the thirty minute mark, Ajax had managed seven shots
on target, while PSV had none. PSV were not completely
ineffectual: they built attacks rather capably, and had their
chances, but the Eindhoven side seemed to lack
determination. They seemed a little insecure, even,
and their final touches were simply not good enough to
threaten the Ajax goal.
Ryan Babel was Ajax's most
dangerous attacker in the opening phase. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
That changed suddenly enough. PSV's first 24-carat
opportunity fell at that point in the match, when the
irrepressible Jefferson Farfan was able to volley from just
above the penalty spot. Left or right of Stekelenburg, and it
would have been a goal for sure. Instead, the shot was straight
at the Ajax 'keeper, who was able to parry wide. A reflex save,
but well executed nevertheless. He could just as easily have
allowed a dangerous rebound, but didn't.
It signaled the beginning of PSV's most dangerous period of
the first half (and of the whole game, for that matter).
Minutes later, Farfan was again the architect. His perfect
cross found the head of Philip Cocu, who blasted his shot
toward the near post, requiring a superb save from
Stekelenburg. The Ajax 'keeper had a flawless match, and this
was the most telling phase in the game, as PSV's tails were up,
and Ajax's one-goal lead briefly seemed to be in mortal
peril.
The final few minutes proved to be the most remarkable
and decisive of this fantastically entertaining first
half. Ajax managed to recover from PSV's siege well enough to
force another series of corner kicks. One corner was cleared in
a lofted header toward midfield. Edgar Davids is not known for
his goal-scoring, but he's already demonstrated this season
that he's capable of the occasional stunner. He almost pulled
off another one. His full volley of the headed clearance, from
some 40 yards out, looped over the field and then smacked the
goalpost, precisely where the upright joins the cross bar,
before rebounding down and smacking Gomes on the forehead.
The ball could easily have bounced into goal, but instead, it
bounced back up high into the seats. The ball struck the PSV
keeper so forcefully that he required medical attention. And by
the way, it led to yet another corner for Ajax.
This one was not so capably cleared. Former Ajacied Jason
Culina tried to dribble out of danger, but showed far too much
of the ball to his old mate Wesley Sneijder, who nicked it
easily, took one touch toward goal, and then slammed home a
spectacular left-footed blast from the corner of the 18-yard
box. Gomes, once again, could do absolutely nothing.
Remarkably, yet deservedly, Ajax took a 0-2 lead into
halftime.
One thing seemed inevitable: the second half would be a war.
The defending and would-be champions surely wouldn't allow this
scoreline to stand. They even brought on venerable former Ajax
and Holland striker Patrick Kluivert, replacing a
struggling Da Costa for the second frame.
But it was Ajax who first threatened to score. Amidst a
sudden smattering of hailstones (the weather shifted
throughout the match between sunshine, rain and hail) a deftly
struck Sneijder free-kick required the very best from Gomes.
After that scare, PSV stepped up their own pressure. Yellow
cards for Gabri (a caution for petty time-wasting means
he'll miss the next match) and Emanuelson betrayed the
fact that Ajax were under a lot of pressure. A goal from the
hosts seemed inevitable - and it came in the 52nd minute. After
sustained pressure for several minutes, Kluivert found himself
with the ball at his feet just ten yards from goal. He didn't
waste the chance: 1-2, game on. Kluivert didn't raise his arms
to celebrate, possibly out of respect for the Ajax supporters,
who had honored him by chanting his name before kick-off.
What followed was somewhat less elegant than the first half,
but twice as nerve-wracking and just as riveting. For a number
of minutes Ajax seemed at risk of surrendering the lead, but
they also remained dangerous on the counter-attack and from set
plays.
Tom de Mul's wing play tormented
Salcido and effectively sealed the deal for Ajax. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
Tom De Mul was brought on to replace Sneijder, who had
played brilliantly but seemed completely out of gas. Where
Sneijder had been dangerous at the top of the penalty area, the
Belgian added pace and width to the attack. Just minutes after
entering the game, he helped to create the goal that would put
the points in Ajax's pockets for good. His carefully placed low
cross from the right found Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in a position
where he simply couldn't fail to tap in: 1-3.
The only things left for Ajax to do were as follows: avoid
further yellow cards (check) and injury (check), defend their
goal (check) and add to their lead if possible. The last became
remarkably easy, in front of an increasingly empty Philips
Stadium. First Gabri put on a little one-man show, grabbing a
loose ball along the top of the box and dribbling past a few
flailing defenders before firing home confidently: 1-4.
Gabri scores a
nifty goal (above), and then celebrates (below) by
mysteriously
tapping his head while Heitinga goes along for the ride.
[Photo: Ajax.nl]
Then substitute Kenneth Perez benefitted from another fine
pass from De Mul. He had acres of time and space, unmarked
inside the penalty area. He calmly picked his spot and slotted
home. A stunning 1-5 lead in the champions' house... Gomes must
have felt utterly abandoned by his crumbling defense.
In the end, it was a combination of greater intensity,
better finishing, a dash of luck... and perhaps the absence of
PSV's defensive stalwart Alex that contributed to Ajax's
victory. Surely, it was a more closely-fought contest than the
lop-sided scoreline would indicate, but Ajax were far superior
on the day. And watching them man-handle the champions only
makes their recent non-performances against Excelsior and
Heerenveen all the more frustrating. If Ajax had not almost
certainly lost the championship on those days, they might very
well have done much to win it today. (JM)
GOAL
- 17' 0-1 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
- 44' 0-2 Wesley Sneijder
- 68' 1-2 Patrick Kluivert
- 73' 1-3 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
- 74' 1-4 'Gabri' García de la
Torre
- 89' 1-5 Kenneth Perez
Referee: Braamhaar
Yellow cards: Grygera, Heitinga, Gabri,
Emanuelson (Ajax)
Attendance: 35,100
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Ogararu,
Stam, Grygera, Emanuelson; Gabri (86. Maduro),
Heitinga, Sneijder (70. De Mul), Davids; Huntelaar, Babel
(82. Perez).
PSV line-up: Gomes; Alcides, Da Costa
(46. Kluivert), Salcido, Sun (58. Tardelli); Afellay, Cocu,
Culina, Simons; Méndez, Farfán.
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