Supporters sing Ajax to victory over NAC Breda: 2-0
2 (1) - 0 (0)
Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Friday, 13 April, 2007
"People sometimes say that we have a 'theatre crowd'," said
Henk ten Cate after Ajax vs NAC Breda, "but today it
absolutely wasn't like that. With their vocal support the fans
really helped us through this match and I want to thank them
for that." Even general director Maarten Fontein, who normally
keeps a low profile after Ajax games, wished to make a
statement: "Our supporters deserve a fantastic compliment. It
was overwhelming."
Ajax's victory over NAC Breda was, indeed, a victory of the
team and the Ajax supporters at the ArenA, the temple
that can sometimes be so painfully quiet when things don't go
Ajax's way. The Ajax support... they're a demanding lot: always
critical, never satisfied, sometimes merciless towards
their own team. Today they knew that Ajax could jump
to the top of the Eredivisie table, at least for 24 hours, and
that their hard-working, but struggling and slightly nervous
boys in red and white needed their help.
The ArenA's south end fans urge their team onward. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
Around the hour mark, with a meagre lead of 1-0 on the
boards, the match had reached an impasse. Ajax struggled.
They couldn't create anything. And NAC started to smell blood.
Their counter-attacks became more threatening. Everbody could
feel that this was the pivotal phase of the encounter. And
all of a sudden: there were the fans. The South end, home of
the F-Side, broke into an "Ajax Amsterdam" yell
that slowly developed into an energising mantra, which
spread around the ground, was picked up by Vak 410 at the other
end and soon became an uplifting potpourri of sometimes
long-forgotten Ajax anthems. It went on and on,
continuously, and it was, indeed, overwhelming. Of
overwhelming positivity, to be more specific.
And believe it or not, you could see how the
players straightened up and advanced. A fluent attack
towards NAC's penalty area unfolded. Kenneth
Perez intelligently tapped the ball to Ryan
Babel, who fired home from close range: 2-0 (64'), an attack so
crisp and beautiful that it somehow didn't seem to belong
in this match. The three points were secured. It was
a moment of magic: a team of footballers and their
supporters, totally believing in each other's powers. Ajax and
their fans very briefly became one.
The preceding hour had not been easy for Ajax, who were
still without the beating heart of their defense (Jaap Stam and
Zdenek Grygera), and also without their 'architect' in
midfield: Wesley Sneijder, suspended for one game due to
accumulated yellow cards. Kenneth Perez (not a starter and
most definitely not a happy man, but still Henk ten
Cate's vice-captain) got to make a rare start as Ajax's
'number 10', but it must be said: he failed to impress. Just
like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, just like Ryan Babel, just like Tom
De Mul. Ajax's forward line simply didn't have it today,
so that the best chances of the first half actually fell
to NAC. The very best one was for Anouar Diba, who suddenly had
a free passage to Maarten Stekelenburg in the 9th minute. The
Ajax 'keeper saved, but failed to hold on to the ball,
giving Maceo Rigters a rebound opportunity to give
NAC a shock lead. Rigters fired into the side netting of
Ajax's deserted goal.
Perez played in the captain's armband, and struggled, from the
start. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Ajax had some tiny chances as well, but never came as
close to scoring as Diba and Rigters. Huntelaar's first
minute screamer was not very hard for goalkeeper Zoetebier
to punch to the side, Huntelaar's attempt after
a quick one-two with Gabri went wide of the top corner and
Urby Emanuelson concluded a few fine runs with a few
not-so-fine shooting attempts. The first time Ajax
really cut through NAC's well-organized defense was in
the 37th minute, but Kenneth Perez fired too hastily
- and just over the cross-bar. Ajax would probably
not have scored in the first half if it wasn't for NAC
midfielder Sander van Gessel. Referee Blom couldn't have
missed the handball; Kenneth Perez converted the
spotkick (18').
The lead was effective medicine against Ajax's stagefright,
but NAC didn't bow their heads and continued to counter-attack
dangerously. Luckily for Ajax, Gabri and especially Edgar
Davids performed tremendously well. Fixing the holes
in midfield: it's a dirty job, but these two absolutely love it
- and they did it fantastically well. Another Ajacied that
deserves a mention is Thomas Vermaelen, who saved Ajax a few
times with well-timed, razor-sharp, last-second tackles and
even a spectacular overhead clearance when a thru-ball almost
sent Edwin de Graaf on his way to Stekelenburg.
No, it wasn't easy. Around the hour mark, just
when it started to feel like Ajax were going to
pay the price for a fatal combination of 'championship stress'
and fatigue, the supporters stepped forward in a way that
is rather unusual at the Amsterdam ArenA. Ajax needed a little
help from their friends - and they got it. After Babel's
decisive goal Ajax could have scored a third (substitute
Nicolae Mitea, during his first minutes of first team
action in 2007, came close in the 75th minute), but
we have to be honest: a large win was never in it. And, for
that matter, NAC Breda did not deserve a large defeat.
So, Ajax are tops, one point ahead of PSV and three of
AZ, who - of course - have a game in hand. Ajax will have
to wait and see, but the pressure is on the Eindhoven and
Alkmaar sides now. Ajax did the business. It's all they
can do after last week's wasted opportunity in Waalwijk.
Will Henk ten Cate watch PSV vs FC Twente on Saturday evening?
"No. I am going to a party at my old club, Go Ahead
Eagles," the Ajax boss said with a smile. AZ vs Vitesse on
Sunday afternoon, perhaps? Ten Cate shook his head: "I'm
going on a boat trip on the river Amstel. Without a radio.
I think there may be a few people who will keep me posted
anyway." (MP)
GOALS
- 18' 1-0 Kenneth Perez
(penalty)
- 64' 2-0 Ryan Babel
Referee: Blom
Yellow card: Van Gessel (NAC Breda)
Attendance: 49,737
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Ogararu,
Heitinga, Vermaelen, Emanuelson; Gabri, Perez, Davids; De Mul
(69. Mitea), Huntelaar, Babel.
NAC Breda line-up: Zoetebier;
Stam, Penders, Zwaanswijk, Zonneveld (80. Elshot); De Graaf,
Slot, Van Gessel; Rigters (77. Pinas), Salmon, Diba.
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