Ajax Saturday-1 win cup, pull into Amstel Cup
21 May: Ajax will again be represented by no less
than three teams in next season's Amstel
Cup. The first team of the the club's amateur
section, known as Ajax Saturday-1, qualified for the
professional cup competition by winning the cup in their
district (West I) of Dutch amateur football. The other two
teams to compete in the Amstel Cup are Young Ajax, who clinched
the
reserves championship this week, and of course
Ajax-1.
The cup final for the 'West I' district was not a
single game, but a day-long tournament. Ajax Saturday-1,
who played in the Saturday Hoofdklasse ('Top Class')
this season and managed to stay on the highest non-league level
of Dutch football, were in Group A with
Geinoord, Nijenrodes and Spakenburg. The first two opponents
were beaten (3-0 and 2-0, respectively). A 0-0 draw against
Spakenburg was enough for Ajax to finish tops in the group and
advance to the final, in which Elinkwijk from Utrecht (the club
where Ajax once scouted Marco van Basten!) were beaten:
1-0.
Ajax Saturday-1 also
qualified for the 'big' Amstel Cup last season, but their
campaign lasted only one round: First Division professionals FC
Zwolle were too strong in early August and won
0-3 at De Toekomst.
Every season, 37 professional clubs, 48 amateur sides
(division champions, district cup winners and 'period
champions') plus 2 reserves teams (champions and cup
winners) qualify for the Amstel Cup. All teams are in the bowl
from the first round, except the six clubs who represent
Holland in UEFA competition (including Ajax). Those clubs get a
free passage through the first three round and enter the
competition in the fourth. As usual, Ajax USA will publish
news and match reports about the Amstel Cup campaigns of both
Young Ajax and Ajax Saturday-1 next season. (MP)
Source: Voetbal Op Zaterdag.nl
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