Young Ajax claim title on spectacular last matchday
17 May: Young Ajax, the club's reserves or 'second'
team, grabbed the championship in the
Beloftencompetitie ('Talent Competition') in
spectacular fashion tonight. The team of coach John van den
Brom pulverised Young NAC Breda (0-8 in Breda), but knew
that that wasn't enough. League leaders Young Feyenoord had to
drop points. The Rotterdammers did so in the dying minutes of
their fixture at Young PSV: 3-2.
Young Ajax were at the top of the table throughout the
season. Even when a string games got called off in the winter
months the Amsterdammers were ahead of their Rotterdam
rivals most of the time, sometimes with up to three
games in hand. In recent weeks, however, Young Ajax
paid the price for their poor form, lack of effectivity and the
fact that they 'lost' several key players to Ajax-1. A string
of disappointing result allowed Young Feyenoord to close in.
Last weekend it all seemed to go wrong as Young RKC Waalwijk
scored a late equalizer at De Toekomst - and Young
Feyenoord leapfrogged them on the table with only more game
left to play. Young Ajax travelled to Breda knowing that they
were going to require the help of Young PSV, who were at home
to Young Feyenoord.
Nordin Boukhari was among the
'senior' Ajax players who scored on the night. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
It was soon clear that Young Ajax were going to win their
own fixture without any problems. Young NAC Breda, who had
nothing left to play for, did not seem to bother. Gaston Sangoy
(2x), Ymma Boakye, Stanley Aborah, Jerghinio Sahadewsing,
Daniël de Ridder, Nourdin Boukhari and Nicolae Mitea
netted for the Amsterdammers, making for a whopping final score
of 0-8.
Young Feyenoord, meanwhile, opened the scoring in the very
first minute of their game at Young PSV (goal: Zuiverloon)
and seemed to have secured the title when Leonardo made it 0-2
in the 70th minute. After that it all went wrong for the
Rotterdam side: Carratta scored for PSV in the 75th minute,
after which Aissati and Beerens plunged Feyenoord into
misery in the 88th and 90th minutes of the game: 3-2. After the
final whistle in the east of the Brabant province (Eindhoven)
the Ajax party could start in the west of the same
province (Breda).
Young Ajax players soak coach
John van den Brom after the match. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Coach John van den Brom: "It's quite bizarre to clinch a
championship like this. [Reserve goalkeeper] Robert Zwinkels
yelled that PSV had made it 2-2 in Eindhoven, but everyone
thought he was kidding (...) Looking back I don't think it is
an exaggeration to say that we deserved the title at the end of
the day. The boys deserve a compliment for the way they've
accomplished this. I've been criticial this season. Sometimes I
cursed them for their attitude. But today was very good.
This is beautiful."
Young Ajax lift the championship
trophy after the game. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
Arguably the most important thing about the championship is
the fact that Young Ajax also qualified for yet another run in
the 'big' Amstel Cup. The coach, however, will tell you that it
is neither about the championship shield nor about a ticket to
the Amstel Cup. The primary goal of a Young Ajax coach is
to improve individual players and to prepare for the 'big
jump': from De Toekomst to the 'other side', the Amsterdam
ArenA. Even from that perspective Young Ajax had a
very succesful season: Tom De Mul and Stanley Aborah
made their Ajax-1 débuts, whereas Rasmus Lindgren,
Ryan Babel and Hedwiges Maduro actually became official
members of the Ajax-1 squad. The latter two were even called up
by Holland boss Marco van Basten and made their Oranje
débuts.
The 2004-2005 season may well become a 'golden year' for the
Ajax youth: the highest youth team (Young Ajax) have clinched
the title. On Tuesday 24 May Ajax A1 can do the same in their
home game against Vitesse A1 at De Toekomst. Many Ajax youth
teams in younger age categories -- E1, F1, D3
and others -- also finished tops in their
respective leagues. (MP)
UPDATE 24 May: Ajax A1 indeed clinched the
championship in the National A-Youth Eredivisie by winning
their last home game against Vitesse A1 by the score of 4-0.
The two highest teams of De Toekomst (Young Ajax and Ajax A1)
are Holland's best of 2004-2005. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl
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