Suarez hat-trick leads Ajax comeback against Willem II
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Eredivisie
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam
Sunday, 16 Mar 2008
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Although, on paper, the Eredivisie seemed to be all but settled four weeks ago, Ajax now have PSV looking over their shoulders with this win, however unconvincing the performance was. The title race is getting closer.
A hat-trick from Louis Suarez and the customary strike from Klass Jan Huntelaar gave Ajax a comfortable looking win, but it could have been so different. Even in the first minute, Willem striker Frank Demouge showed that he was going to cause trouble in the already fragile Ajax defence by winning two headers from both Heitinga and Vermaelen.
The game started at a very lackluster pace as there seemed to be an need to conserve energy for the forthcoming game in Eindhoven…..this being made even more noticeable when Gabri was forced to leave the field on 12 minutes with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Perez but remains a doubt for Wednesday’s clash with PSV. Because of this change, there now seemed a lack of energy in the centre of the midfield as Emanuelson and Davids seemed to concentrate their efforts on the left, this leaving De Jong as the only ball winner.
The game livened up in the 18th minute when Demouge climbed above both Ajax central defenders to power the ball past a helpless Stekelenburg and into the net: 0-1 Willem II.
The wake up call worked, as both Heitinga and Perez went close shortly thereafter. On 21 minutes a rather innocuous collision between Vertonghen and Micael Aerts led to the Willem II keeper being stretchered off with a leg injury; he was relaced by Kenneth Vermeer, someone well aware of what might happen when the pride of Ajax players is injured.
Da Silva fends off Willem II player. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Vermeer was called into action after 28 minutes when Perez shot straight at him, the rebound going wide from a rather agitated Suarez, for whom everything seemed to be going wrong. One minute later, a corner won on the right lead to a perfectly executed cross being dispatched by Klass Jan Huntelaar, powering his header into the Willem II net. Ajax were level……and looking for victory.
Despite further good work from Perez and De Jong in midfield, feeding Suarez and Huntelaar, the score remained the same, although Ajax now had the upper hand. With just over ten minutes to the break, Suarez chased a good looking feed from Silva to cross back to Perez only five yards out. His first time shot, although a little behind him, ballooned over the crossbar, bringing howls of disbelief from the Arena crowd.
On 41 minutes, a clever ball over the Willem II defence caused Frank van der Struijk to stretch while trying to clear a rather simple looking defensive header. This resulted in him becoming the third player to be replaced, following Aerts as he was stretchered off the field. Further pressure from the Ajax strikers gave chances to both Suarez and Emanuelson, both being denied by Vermeer. The home team finally broke the deadlock on the verge of half-time when a corner led to the ball cannoning out to Emanuelson on the left. He beat the last defender before crossing for Huntelaar to shoot forward for Suarez to clip into the net. Ajax had gained the lead, 2-1.
Just before the whistle, Swinkels annoyed the referee enough to get yellow carded, but Ajax went in at the break with one goal advantage, the main question being, "How many more?"
Huntelaar celebrates his equalizer. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
The second period started in the same, almost static manner as the first, neither team showing any real sense of urgency. Huntelaar was trying to add some sort of urgency to the proceedings when he twice fed difficult passes through the Willem defence, but he was thwarted both times by the advancing Vermeer. Davids seemed to want to inject some pace into the game, this eventually coming in the 51st minute when Suarez was freed through the middle. He outpaced the two Willem central defenders and bypassed Vermeer to the right before powering an angled shot into the net, despite the efforts of a defender on the goal line: 3-1 Ajax.
Ajax now had the safety net they needed to allow them to play more relaxed football…..unfortunately, this didn’t happen. The play became very careless, many passes going astray, this leading to the substitution of Davids for Lindgren after 64 minutes, the hope being that the latter would add a touch of urgency to the proceedings. This change did make some difference in that there was now more creativity in the middle of the field, allowing more passes to the wings to be more penetrating. One ball from Lindgren, feeding Silva on the right, lead to Suarez crossing for Emanuelson to hammer a shot goalwards, only for Vermeer to produce a fine save. On 71 minutes, a worrying injury to De Jong meant that he had to go off, to be replaced by Rommedahl. Whether or not the injury was serious is yet to be stated, but he definitely looks a doubt for the PSV clash. Meanwhile, at the other end, Demourge was still causing problems, Stekelenburg being brought into action twice in as many minutes….the game was far from safe.
With the clock ticking, Ajax did have further chances when Heitinga and Vermaelen both attacked a corner from Lindgren, only to have efforts collected by Vermeer. Perez powered a shot off target a minute later, before Vertonghen saved Ajax’s face by stretching to slide a piercing offensive ball into touch. Wayward passing and uncharacteristic positional lapses meant that the game was slowly drifting towards a forgettable ending. The afternoon was brought back to life in the 88th minute when Suarez completed his hat trick; a Perez corner was headed on by Huntelaar towards the far post where the Uraguayan powered a shot into the net, despite the gallant efforts of Vermeer to keep it out. 4-1.
With the game now won, Ajax made sure of controlling the ball until Blom blew the final whistle to an emptying stadium.
The eerie applause was broken two minutes later when word went round that Roda had scored an equalising goal against PSV in the very last minute…..supporters leaving now were a little more upbeat….the Clash of the Titans being only three days away. A win or a draw next week will make sure the title race is open….anything else and it’s lost. Ajax fans can only hope that the lacklustre performance against Willem II was only a "training session" for the Ajax players.
(Ian Walker)
Goals:
- 18' Frank Demouge 0-1
- 29' Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 1-1
- 45' Luis Suárez 2-1
- 51' Luis Suárez 3-1
- 89' Luis Suárez 4-1
Referee: Blom
Yellow Cards: Swinkels (Willem II).
Attendance: 49918
Lineups:
- Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Heitinga, Silva, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Davids (64. Lindgren), De Jong (71. Rommedahl), Emanuelson, Gabri (12. Perez); Huntelaar, Suárez.
- Willem II line-up: Aerts (24. Vermeer); Bælum, Janse, Swinkels, Van der Struijk (41. Hill); Boutahar, Kargbo, Mathijssen, Messoudi; Demouge, Poepon (73. Mourad).
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