Solid Twente remain upright against harmless Ajax: 1-1
1 (0) - 1
(1)
Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Sunday, 19 November, 2006
Much to the frustration of their supporters, Ajax have
failed to return to winning ways, one week after their slightly
unfortunate home stumble against PSV. A remarkably solid and
strong FC Twente side remained upright at the Amsterdam ArenA:
1-1. The team that occupied the top berth of the Eredivisie
table eight days ago, two points ahead of PSV, is now
three points behind the reigning champions and
(remarkably) having a very hard time creating scoring chances
and netting goals...
Gabri battles in midfield. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Let one thing be clear: FC Twente deserved a point at the
ArenA. At the post-game press conference, Twente head-coach
Fred Rutten pointed out that, in his opinion, Twente were the
better side in the first half, whereas the second 45 minutes
were for Ajax. Henk ten Cate didn't have much to add. The Ajax
boss totally agreed. 1-1 was, over all, a fair result.
But a 'fair' result is not necessarily a satisfying result.
The ArenA crowd expected Ajax to start fiercely, determined to
make up for last week's stumble in the 'Big One', but it didn't
happen. Ajax started very tepidly, seemed poorly concentrated
and were actually a goal down before they knew what was going
on. Two dangerous Twente attacks in the opening phase were not
enough of a warning. After only eight minutes Rob Wielaert
lobbed a high thru-ball into the Ajax penalty box, Johnny
Heitinga and Gabri failed react adequately and Orlando
Engelaar scored one of the most spectacularly beautiful goals
of the season so far, and quite possibly the best goal the Ajax
fans will get to see at the ArenA this season: he volleyed
first time, with his left, hammering it right into the
upper ninety. Maarten Stekelenburg only heard the ball whizz by
and slam against the back of the net behind his
back: 0-1 (08').
Ajax were, once again, a goal down in a home game and the
fans hoped that Engelaar's stunning strike would have the
effect of a wake-up call. It did not. Ajax enjoyed more
possession than FC Twente, but that was about it. There were no
proper crossed from De Mul and/or Perez, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
played quite well but never came in scoring position and
Wesley Sneijder did not have his best day: the midfielder was
diligent, but highy unfortunate in his passing. FC Twente,
meanwhile, deserved a major compliment for being just as solid
and well-organized as PSV were one week ago. The Enschede side
had a disastrous start of the season, but slowly sneaked up the
table and are now 4th. Ajax vs Twente was, indeed, a top
fixture, except that Ajax did not seem to acknowledge it.
The best chance of the first half after Engelaar's goal in
fact fell to the visitors: striker Blaise N'Kufo came very
close to scoring at the near post, on a low cross from the
right flank. Stekelenburg and his defenders managed
to whack the ball away just before the Twente man tapped
home. 0-1 at half-time and it definitely wasn't undeserved.
Wesley Sneijder's free-kick levels the score: 1-1.
[Photo: Ajax
Foto Side]
Something had to happen. Ajax boss Henk ten Cate decided to
bring on Thomas Vermaelen as a left fullback, so that Ajax's
best man (Urby Emanuelson) could move to midfield. Nicolae
Mitea replaced one of Ajax's very weakest: Kenneth Perez. Did
it have the desired effect? Well, yes, but that had nothing to
do with the substitutions or Ajax's minor tactical changes.
Less than 180 seconds had ticked away when Urby Emanuelson was
brought down just outside the penalty box and Wesley Sneijder
fired the free-kick around the Twente wall and into the low,
far corner: 1-1 (48'). A set piece... how typical. Goalkeeper
(and former Ajax reserve) Sander Boschker did not look great,
by the way: Sneijder's shot was hard and well-aimed, but it
disappeared into the corner of the goal that should have been
covered by the goalkeeper - not the wall.
Ajax were back in the game and there was plenty of time:
more than 42 minutes to score another one and keep the three
points in Amsterdam. For some fifteen minutes it seemed like
Sneijder's equalizer had given Ajax enough of an energy boost
to turn the game around, but it wasn't so. Around the hour mark
Twente's defense restored the order and the red and white
'storm' died down. Ten Cate brought George Ogararu for
some extra crosses from the right flank, but it
didn't help. Quite frankly, Ajax created only one more
chance: a header from Zdenek Grygera on a George Ogararu
cross in the very last minute of the game. It went a
few yards wide. A few minutes later the final whistled
resounded through the ArenA and the conclusion was that FC
Twente and remained upright in convincing fashion.
Nicolae Mitea came on as a sub, but couldn't make the
difference. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
For the second consecutive home game Ajax almost completely
failed to create open scoring opportunities. Henk ten Cate had
also noticed that. "Indeed, we didn't create enough, but
the small number of chances doesn't worry me yet. Mitea is not
fit enough for a full game yet. Babel is still recovering from
injury. When everybody's fit in a few weeks' time, I believe we
will have enough thrust and power upfront. We've scored 30
goals in 13 games so far, so I'm not panicking."
And why would he? Indeed, there is no reason for panic, but
fact is that points like these are very, very dear. PSV and
Ajax do not make too many mistakes so far this season. The
difference in quality seems to be small and in a season as
tight as the current one, little slip-ups will be decisive.
This result was one of those slip-ups. Not a fatal one, of
course, but Ajax can't afford too many. Next up: the 'two
Spartas', from Prague and Rotterdam, respectively. (MP)
GOALS
- 08' 0-1 Orlando Engelaar
- 48' 1-1 Wesley Sneijder
Referee: Blom
Yellow cards: Heitinga, De Mul (Ajax), Bakkal
(FC Twente)
Attendance: 49,364
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Heitinga
(74. Ogararu), Stam, Grygera, Emanuelson; Gabri, Maduro (46.
Vermaelen), Sneijder; De Mul, Huntelaar, Perez (46. Mitea).
FC Twente line-up: Boschker;
Wilkshire, Wielaert, Zomer, Heubach; Bakkal (50. Niemeyer),
Engelaar, El Ahmadi, Bakircioglu; N'Kufo, Touma (70.
Zijler).
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