KNVB Cup: Ajax to play Young RKC in second round
20 July: The Dutch cup competition (which in recent
years had sponsored names such as Amstel Cup and
Gatorade Cup) has its old name back (KNVB Cup)
and underwent some major changes. Holland's professional
clubs, including those representing The Netherlands in
UEFA competition, will enter as early as in the second round.
The draw for the first and second rounds took place at the KNVB
headquarters in Zeist today. For Ajax an away game
at Young RKC Waalwijk, the Eredivisie club's reserves
team, came out of the bowl. The match will be
played at Waalwijk's Mandemakers Stadium on Wednesday 20
September at 20:15 CET.
The cup competition seems to be the eternal 'problem
child' of Dutch professional football. It has had many
different set-ups over the years: a group stage, knock-out
rounds from scratch, a seeding list, exemptions for the teams
representing Holland in 'Europe' (they entered the competition
in the round of sixteen), a final in Rotterdam, a
final at any stadium, a final of two
legs (home and away), a replay in the event of a draw,
extra time and penalty's in the event of a draw, the 'sudden
death' principle... and what not.
In recent seasons the teams playing in 'Europe' entered
the competition in the round of sixteen, so that there hardly
was any such thing as a 'road to Rotterdam'. It was
more like a short-cut: last season Ajax were in the final
after only three cup games (and they lifted the trophy after
four).
This season it will all be very different: 48 amateur sides
will play each other in the first round. In the second round
the 24 winners will be accompanied by the 36 professional sides
(Eredivisie and First Division) plus the champions of the
Talent Competition (Eredivisie for reserves teams) and
the winners of the Dutch Cup for reserves teams. Ajax (who will
have just one team in the KNVB Cup this season, as Young Ajax
didn't qualify) were paired with Young RKC Waalwijk, winners of
last season's Dutch Cup for reserves teams. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, RKC Waalwijk.nl
Related links
