0207-1.html
Both Ajax team to play at home in Amstel Cup semi
final
07 February: Immediately after Ajax-1's quarter final game
against FC Groningen (4-0) Rafaël van der Vaart was kindly
invited to the middle of the ArenA pitch, to perform the draw
for the semi-finals. Much to the crowd's excitement, Van der
Vaart's lucky hand brought new home games for Young Ajax as
well as Ajax-1. The reserves will take on FC Utrecht, whereas
the first team will host current Dutch champions PSV.
This draw makes the dream scenario come true for the
attendees of Ajax USA's second trip to
Amsterdam, in early March. The Ajax USA travellers are now
likely to get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend five
Ajax home games in nine days' time, including crucial games
against both traditional top opponents: Ajax vs
Feyenoord on March 3, Amstel Cup confrontations Ajax vs PSV and
Young Ajax vs FC Utrecht on March 6 and 7, followed by Young
Ajax vs Young Willem II (at De Toekomst) on March 9 and league
game Ajax vs De Graafschap on March 10.
One thing is certain: Ajax vs PSV and Young Ajax vs FC
Utrecht will most definitely not make for the third 'double
header' in a row. This was announced by KNVB official Will van
Rhee, who was in the ArenA when the draw took place and
commented on it afterwards. He explained that the Amstel Cup
semi-finals have fixed dates, just like the final. Those dates
are Wednesday, 06 and Thursday, 07 March. In the semi-finals,
it is no longer allowed to re-schedule the games and turn them
into a 'double header'.
Even if he KNVB would have allowed a 'double header', it
would have been highly unlikely that the Amsterdam police would
have allowed it, nor that Ajax and the Amsterdam ArenA would
have preferred it in the first place: both Young Ajax and
Ajax-1 are taking on an opponent from the 'high risk' category,
to which Ajax itself belongs, too. It is highly unlikely that
the Amsterdam police would have allowed three 'high risk' fan
groups in the same stadium at the same time.
It was not determined yet which game will be played on
Wednesday and which game on Thursday. However, since Young Ajax
is due for the league against Young Willem II on Saturday, and
Ajax-1 against De Graafschap on Sunday, playing the Young Ajax
game on Wednesday and the Ajax-1 game on Thursday seems to be
the most logical option, in order to allow the teams two full
days to rest and prepare for their respective next league
games.
The Amsterdam police department has not commented yet on the
fact that three high risk clubs (Feyenoord, FC Utrecht and PSV)
are now due at the ArenA in five days' time. Theoretically,
this may be deemed too much to handle and lead to the
re-scheduling of one of the games. So far, there are no
idications of that. (MP)
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