Round 20 - Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven

[Zarak]

It's round 20. Ajax have played 18 matches in the league so far this season, PSV 19. Ajax and PSV are level on points, but, obviously, Ajax have a played a game less. Ajax is first, PSV is second.

Ajax have never beaten PSV at their new home, The Amsterdam Arena, since they moved into that stadium at the start of the 1996-97 season.

Naturally, I have a feeling that Ajax will break this duck, but looking at the not too short injury list that Ajax have, and recent form, I am not feeling too confident. The players that were promoted from the youth sides, to compensate for the injured players, have done surprisingly well. Maybe they can even come up with a few more surprises on Sunday.

Date: 08-02-2004
Venue: Amsterdam Arena
Kick-off: 12.30pm(local time)
Referee: Unknown
Attendance: Unknown

Probable line-up as of Friday morning, 2 days before kick-off -

--------------------------- Stekelenburg

Grygera ------------ Heitinga --------- Escude ---------- O'Brien

--------- Galasek --------- van der Vaart ------- Maxwell

--------- de Ridder --------- Anastasiou ------- Sikora

Subs -

Sneijder
de Jong
Mitea
Sonck(?)/Babel
van Damme
Soetaers
Boschker

[Zarak]

Most probably line-ups as of Saturday morning, 1 day before kick-off -

Stekelenburg

de Jong -------- Heitinga --------- Escude --------- O'Brien

----- Galasek ----------- Sneijder ----------- Maxwell

----- de Ridder --------- Anastasiou -------- Sikora

I assumred Zdenek Grygera would start right-back, but he's not fully match fit yet. Nigel de Jong is his "logical" replacement. Usual right-back, Hatem Trabelsi, is still participating with Tunesia in the African Cup.

van der Vaart is not suffering from any pains and strains anymore, but he's only completed one full training session in the past ten days. He's certainly not fit enough to play ninety minutes, and Koeman will most likely spare him for most of the match.
I think van der Vaart will come on about halfway through the second half, and replace either Anastasiou or Sneijder.

Jason Culina, another striker from the youth teams, will probably be on the bench as reserve striker should Wesley Sonck be not fit, instead of Ryan Babel. Culina is slightly more experienced than Babel and he's probably also a little more mature, he's six years Babel's senior.

[Zarak]

I predict that the half-time score will be 1-1, and the final result will be 3-2 for Ajax.

Scorers

Ajax - Sikora, Anastasiou 2x
PSV - Vennegoor of Hesselink, Kezman

[Zarak]

AJAX WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so happy, wev'e finally beaten PSV in the league, at home, WHICH WE NEVER WE ABLE TO DO BEFORE!!!
Since we moved to the Amsterdam Arena in 1996, PSV have beaten us 9!!!!!!!! times in the league at home, but a glorious end came to that on Sunday afternoon, as we WE WON 2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sneijder scored a wonderful long-range goal, and Mitea scored a great goal of his own rebound.

AJAX WILL BE CHAMPIONS OF HOLLAND FOR SURE NOW!!!!!!!!!