Stalwart PSV continue dominant record at ArenA
0 (0) - 1 (0)
Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Sunday, 12 November, 2006
PSV added another win to their remarkable string of good
Eredivisie results at the Amsterdam ArenA today, scratching out
three points against an Ajax side that started well but became
increasingly frustrated as the game lingered. The lone goal
(from Timmy Simons) came in the midst of sustained PSV pressure
early in the second half. Ajax, despite three hopeful
substitutions, never recovered.
Both teams were aware of the opportunity the day presented:
the winner would sit atop the Eredivisie table. And the
atmosphere in the ArenA at the outset was as intense as that of
a Champions League game, with a magnificent 'tifo' display all around
the stadium, including covering the length of the stand
alongside the field with the slogan "IK BEN AJACIED"
("I am an Ajacied").
The visitors began well, with a brief optimistic flurry in
the opening minutes culminating in a relatively tame shot by
Aroune Koné, easily saved by Stekelenburg. After that,
it was virtually all Ajax. The Amsterdammers enjoyed most of
the possession, played tidy, pressurized football and kept PSV
pinned back in their own half.
Johnny Heitinga failed to convert
a decent chance. It would be a worrisome trend for Ajax.
[Photo: Ajax.nl]
But for all their effectiveness in creating reasonable
scoring opportunities, Ajax never created any 'solid gold'
chances, and were simply not able to convert any of the hatful
of decent ones. Although Ajax were clearly the better team in
the first half, they were not the ruthless killers that had
humiliated Feyenoord just three weeks earlier. This Ajax, in
their own cozy stadium, were perhaps too patient, content to
control the game and dominate possession, while also playing
some beautiful football. And it must be said: PSV's defense is
top-class, having only surrendered six goals all season.
Despite that quality, Ajax were swaggering in the first half,
and they must have been sure that the goals would come. They
did not.
The closest they would get would be Grygera's close-range
header in the 28th minute, when he blasted a Perez free kick
off the outside of the post and into the side-netting. The best
player of the match for Ajax was a very confident and energetic
Emanuelson. But his role was to transition from midfield into
attack. Once he distributed to the attacking players, play
tended to fizzle.
Meanwhile, PSV had no choice but to weather the storm of the
first half, collecting three yellow cards in the process for
cynical fouls on an Ajax side that seemed to always be one step
ahead. With PSV's heavy tackling, Ajax were given a series of
very promising free kicks, but could not make good use of
them.
But as the first half soldiered on, the tide began to turn,
ever so slowly. By the 40th minute, Ajax were already easing
off the gas, and PSV were getting a chance to breathe. In fact,
the last real chance of the first half fell to the visitors in
a counter-attack in the first minute of added time. But PSV
were not really in it yet, and it came to nothing.
Ajax's best player, Emanuelson,
challenges Krompkamp. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Halftime, and TV cameras caught a glimpse of Ronald Koeman
giving a gentlemanly scolding of referee Wegereef. Perhaps he
was concerned that his side had drawn three cards while the
hosts had been shown none, despite some rash challenges by
Johnny Heitinga. Whatever he said to the referee, it had the
intended affect. Wegereef seemed much less lenient toward Ajax
in the second half, and much more forgiving of PSV. In fact, he
ought to have carded Koné after the striker slammed the
ball to the ground in anger when a call went against him. But
Wegereef still had his limits, as Edison Méndez
would later find out.
Koeman must have also given his PSV players an earful in the
dressing room, because they came out much more committed to the
game. The Ajax domination evaporated within two minutes, and it
was the visitors who began enjoying all the good chances,
including a great opportunity in the 53rd minute, when a PSV
free kick was headed just inches over the bar by Jan Krompkamp,
poorly marked by Huntelaar. A let-off for Ajax, and a
warning they would not properly heed.
Just eight minutes later, PSV would grab the only goal of
the game on another free kick that found the head of Timmy
Simons, whose glancing header ended up in the one place that
could beat Stekelenburg: just inside the far post. Fortunate?
Perhaps. But it was no less than the visitors deserved, having
played the better football in the opening phase of the
second half.
Ajax were visibly frustrated, but also unable to do anything
about it. A finely organized and deeply bunkered PSV defense
almost never let the Ajax wingers get behind them. This led to
a series of innocuously lofted balls into the box, none of
which spelled real danger for PSV. And Huntelaar, who is at his
best in and around the penalty area, was forced to drift out
ever farther from goal to get any touches, so that when he did
have the ball at his feet there was never any danger. Ajax
didn't have a single good idea in the second half.
Jap Stam was solid-as-ever in
defense, but couldn't help a sputtering Ajax attack. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
Neither, apparently, did Henk Ten Cate, whose substitutions
seemed more like coins in a fountain than strategic
decisions. Rosales for Tom De Mul at the 69th minute was
perplexing, as the young Belgian had been fairly effective
for most of the game. Then an out-of-favor Markus Rosenberg
came on for Huntelaar: the Swede also fared no better
than the man he replaced. And finally, in the 81st minute,
Mitea replaced Gabri and then proceeded to disappear between
the blades of grass. None of the substitutions effected any
tactical changes; they were simply meant to take one man off
and put another in his place.
Even when PSV were reduced to ten men (in the 70th minute,
after Mendez - already carrying a yellow - petulantly kicked
the ball away after the referee signaled the throw-in for
Ajax), there was no noticeable difference in the balance of
power. Indeed, PSV had the very best chance of the second
half. A smart series of passes put Koné face to face
with Stekelenburg, and the Ivory Coast man blistered a low,
lethal shot that easily beat the Ajax goalkeeper but not his
right post. At the other end, Wesley Sneijder had a pristine
opportunity to level the score, but his attempt went
millimeters wide of the post.
At the time it seemed like another let-off for Ajax,
but a stalwart PSV managed to ride out the clock to
claim the victory and top spot in the league by a narrow
margin.
"I don't think there was much difference in quality," said
PSV captain Phillip Cocu. "We had a very hard time in the first
half. It was clear that Ajax are on form. It is going to be a
very tight and exciting race for the championship." Added Ajax
boss Henk ten Cate: "We were a little bit better over all,
although I don't think we were good enough to deserve the
win."
Finally, Ronald Koeman, who returned to the Amsterdam ArenA
as boss of PSV, said: "It was very tight. Perhaps we have
a little bit more experience in our team. But, given the
balance on the pitch, we may have gotten a little bit too much
today." (JM)
GOAL
Referee: Wegereef
Yellow cards: Vermaelen (Ajax), Simons,
Afellay, Väyrynen (PSV)
Red card: Mendéz (PSV, 'double
yellow', 71')
Attendance: 50,496
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Heitinga,
Stam, Grygera, Vermaelen; Gabri (82. Mitea), Sneijder,
Emanuelson; De Mul (70. Rosales), Huntelaar (77. Rosenberg),
Perez.
PSV line-up: Gomes; Krompkamp, Alex,
Da Costa, Salcido; Mendez, Afellay (60. Väyrynen), Simons,
Cocu; Farfan (73. Culina), Koné.
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