Ajax's 2004-2005 Season

[Lance Knight]

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Roda JC Kerkrade 1-2 Ajax Amsterdam: FT Report

PA

KERKRADE, February 27 (Eredivisie) - Ajax completed a narrow victory over Roda JC in their first game since the resignation of coach Ronald Koeman to continue to keep in touch with league leaders PSV Eindhoven.

Koeman stepped down after the Amsterdammers midweek UEFA Cup exit to Auxerre but goals from Angelos Charisteas and Julien Escude allowed temporary management duo of assistant coaches Tonnie Bruins Slot and Ruud Krol to enjoy victory in their first game in charge.

The win continued Ajax's red-hot form away from the Amsterdam ArenA as they have now notched up seven consecutive victories on their travels.

However it was Roda who started the better of the two teams and went close in the sixth minute as striker Sergio Pacheco saw his shot from distance well saved by Maarten Stekelenberg.

The Ajax keeper was again called into action eight minutes later to save Arouna Kone's shot before the visitors took the lead in the 33rd minute completely against the run of play.

Hedwiges Maduro had the initial shot and Roda keeper Vladan Kujovic could only parry it straight into the path of Greek striker Charisteas who gratefully accepted the chance from close range.

The home side were only just recovering from this body-blow when Ajax doubled their lead minutes before the interval.

Wesley Sneijder whipped in a free-kick and French defender Escude was on hand to plant a majestic header past Kujovic from the edge of the penalty area.

Roda began the second half with attacking intent and Predrag Filipovic crashed a shot from distance against the crossbar in the 56th minute.

This proved to be a warning sign for Ajax as the home side dragged themselves back into the game eight minutes later. Stekelenberg could only half-stop a shot from substitute Diego Jongen and Cristiano Rodrigues Dos Santos was on hand to score with a spectacular bicycle kick from close range.

Roda's best opportunity to pull level came in the 73rd minute but Cristiano could only head Predrag Filipovic's cross over the bar

[Lance Knight]

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Heerenveen 2-1 Ajax Amsterdam: FT Report

PA

HEERENVEEN, April 2 (Eredivisie) - Georgios Samaras came off the bench to score a late winner as Heerenveen continued their recent hoodoo over Ajax.

The Greek was on hand to turn in a hopeful ball into the box from Viktor Sikora after 87 minutes as Gert Jan Verbeek's side snaffled the points to keep alive their hopes of securing a place in the UEFA Cup next season.

Samaras' international team-mate Angelos Charisteas had put the visitors into the lead in the first half before Marcel Seip levelled things midway through the second period.

Heerenveen, who have won their last two games against Danny Blind's side 4-1 and 5-1, dictated much of the play throughout the game and were well worth the victory - their third league trimuph in succession.

Ajax meanwhile, who were hammered 4-0 in their previous game against PSV Eindhoven, looked out of sorts, sorely missing the talents of injured playmaker Rafael Van der Vaart.

Charisteas had missed the game's first real opportunity after only five minutes when the Greek's low shot was well saved by Brian Vandenbussche in the home goal.

The Euro 2004 hero wasted another opening opening moments later but was certainly third time lucky in the 34th minute, stylishly nodding home Mauro Rosales' cross in one of the few highlights of a turgid opening half.

Heerenveen's equaliser came in the 63rd minute. A corner from Ugar Yildirim was cooly flicked on by Petter Hansson and dropped to Seip, who made no mistake from only four yards.

After the leveller, it seemed Verbeek's side were the only possible winners with Ajax clearly disheartened.

And so it proved when super-sub Samaras struck in the dying moments to seal a vital win and land yet another body-blow into Ajax's stuttering season.

[Lance Knight]

Thursday, April 7, 2005

Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 Willem II Tilburg: FT Report


AMSTERDAM, April 7 (Eredivisie) - Ajax once more have a Champions League place in their sights after a convincing win over Willem II on Thursday saw them close the gap on the top two to four points.

A 2-1 defeat to Heerenveen at the weekend seemingly left the defending champions with a mountain to climb in their attempt to steal the runners-up spot from this season's surprise package, AZ Alkmaar.

However, goals from Nicolae Mitea and Ryan Babel gave Ajax the spoils against Willem II to once more move them within range of second place, although AZ have a game in hand.

Ajax looked threatening from the start and after just three minutes Nigel de Jong gave an early warning to their opponents, heading Wesley Sneijder's free-kick just past the post.

Babel then tried his luck from distance for the Amsterdammers with Willem II goalkeeper Oscar Moens making a mess of his first save before getting hold of the ball at the second attempt.

But there was little Moens could do to prevent Ajax's opener in the 20th minute with Mauro Rosales' curling cross headed home powerfully by Mitea.

The visitors were struggling to cope with the pressure and almost conceded a second goal on the half-hour mark when Sneijder was allowed a clear passage through the Willem II defence.

Luckily for the Tilburg outfit, Moens was alert to the danger and able to palm away Sneijder's shot.

Ajax continued to dominate proceedings after the interval with their opponents only able to keep the scoreline to a minimum thanks to some wayward finishing by the hosts, most notably from Rosales who somehow poked his shot past an empty net.

The woodwork also got in the way of the Ajax attack in the 54th minute when Hedwiges Maduro saw his effort come back off the crossbar.

As it was, the 30,000 fans inside the Amsterdam ArenA were made to wait until the final minute of the match before Babel finally put the result beyond doubt.

Another free-kick from Sneijder found an unmarked Babel in the area, with the young striker powering his header past a helpless Moens.

[Lance Knight]

Ajax can look up again after defeating AZ

Amsterdam, April 10, 2005

In sparkling and eager fashion, Ajax positively surprised the home crowd on Sunday. After losses against PSV and sc Heerenveen and the careful recovery against Willem II, Danny Blind's team outplayed league number two AZ, showing flashes of occasional brilliance underway to a 4-2 victory.,,We needed this result to be able to still look up," Blind said.

Not only the three points were important to that effect. ,,I talk a lot with the guys'', explained Blind who went in training camp before the match specifically for personal talks with his players. ,,But we need confirmation that we are on the right way with good results, or it gets really difficult.''
Blind, his assistants Ruud Krol and Gerard van der Lem and the players received that confirmation from minute one. Ajax, with Julien Escudé back from a suspension as the team's captain because Zdenek Grygera kept Johnny Heitinga on the bench, forced AZ back, with Nigel de Jong in a primary role. Blind let De Jong start as right midfielder and the youngster from Amsterdam repayed his coach's confidence in him.

In the sixth minute, AZ's goalkeper Henk Timmer was able to save on a good header from De Jong, but thirteen minutes later the midfielder came on strong again and this time he left Timmer without a chance as he headed the ball in for 1-0. That more than reflected the flow of the match, as Ajax left AZ without any real chances. Blind, who coached his players through every step, got what he wanted. His men were thinking forward instead of backward and they slowed it down at the right periods.

Until Ajax eased up on AZ after half an hour and the guests had a chance to get back in the game. Maduro helped by losing the ball to Lindenbergh, who found Robin Nelisse and the striker made it 1-1. That was unnecessary and that score did not stay on the board for long. Again it was Nigel de Jong who lifted his team. After a good touch by Steven Pienaar he fired it high in the goal: 2-1. ,,That goal came at the right time�, said Blind. ,,Pienaar's move was good and so was Nigel's goal.�

The breaking point came at 3-1. Wesley Sneijder curled a free kick behind Henk Timmer. ,,After that, we played it out well�, Blind said. The coach sat back and relaxed and saw how Nicolae Mitea broke through on the left and gave the ball to Pienaar who put it in an empty goal: 4-1. Six minutes from the end, he took off Mitea to let him get a big hand from the crowd. ,,I hope it lifted his spirits. I believe in Nicolae's ability and hopefully the applause did him some good.''

The only blemish on Ajax's record this afternoon was the fact that AZ made it 4-2 in the closing minutes. AZ's coach Co Adriaanse agreed: ,,This was a kind result for us, it could have been five or six goals difference. Ajax were very good and we were very poor.''

[Lance Knight]

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Dutch Cup: Willem II shock Ajax


AMSTERDAM, April 21 (Reuters) - Willem II Tilburg reached their first Dutch Cup final since 1963 by upsetting Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Tilburg, 3-0 winners over ADO Den Haag in the final 42 years ago, will meet neighbours PSV Eindhoven, who beat Feyenoord 4-2 on penalties, in Rotterdam on May 29.


Ajax, playing for their last chance of silverware this season, dominated the match but failed to convert several good chances and the hosts took the lead seven minutes before halftime.

Jattoo Ceesay set up the opportunity and when three Ajax defenders failed to clear Tom Caluwe netted from close range at the far post.

In the second half Ajax desperately searched for the equaliser but were denied by excellent work from Tilburg goalkeeper Oscar Moens.

Willem II qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1999, when they were in the Champions League under the guidance of former coach Co Adriaanse.

[Lance Knight]

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Holland: Ajax leave it late to go 2nd


AMSTERDAM, April 24 (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam needed a late winner from Yannis Anastasiou for a 1-0 win over strugglers Graafschap Doetinchem in the Dutch first division on Sunday.
The Greek striker broke the deadlock four minutes from time against a Graafschap side who had been reduced to 10 men when Darije Kalezic was shown a red card for a professional foul on Wesley Sneijder after 34 minutes.


PSV Eindhoven clinched their 18th title on Saturday after their comfortable 3-0 win over Vitesse Arnhem and gave them an unassailable 79 points with four matches remaining. Ajax remain second with 65 points.

AZ Alkmaar, who have 61 points, lost ground in the battle for second place and a spot in the third qualifying round of next season's Champions League after a 2-1 defeat at RKC Waalwijk on Saturday left them third with 61 points.

Feyenoord beat Groningen 2-0 on Sunday to remain fourth on 59 points.

Brazilian Andre Bahia opened the scoring for Feyenoord in the 35th minute, heading a Dirk Kuijt cross onto the post and then netting the rebound.

In the final minutes Nick Hofs settled the match, again with the help of a pass from Dutch international Kuijt.

Twente Enschede, in sixth place and battling for a UEFA Cup spot, dropped two crucial points in Utrecht but could have lost all three were it not for a late equaliser from Blaise N'Kufo giving them a 2-2 draw.

Heerenveen, who are in fifth place a point ahead of Enschede, thrashed RBC Roosendaal 7-1 on Friday.

[futbolpasion]

STINKS NO TROPHY THIS SEASON :depressed

[Lance Knight]

Saturday, April 30, 2005

Dutch: Ajax close in on Euro spot


AMSTERDAM, April 30 (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam cruised to a 4-1 win at RBC Roosendaal on Saturday and need six more points to secure second spot in the Dutch first division and a place in the third qualifying round of next season's Champions League.
Ajax, who have three matches to go, are on 68 points. Champions PSV Eindhoven have 80 points after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Twente Enschede on Friday.


Steven Pienaar opened the scoring for Ajax midway through the first half.

Hedwiges Maduro sent Angelos Charisteas away on the right flank and the Greek found Pienaar, who netted from close range.

Seven minutes before the break Wesley Sneijder doubled the lead with a superb free kick. A minute later Charisteas made it 3-0 after goalkeeper Aerts failed to clear the ball on the edge of his area.

Czech Republic international Tomas Galasek added the fourth goal from the penalty spot after Jose Fortes Rodriguez fouled Nigel de Jong in the 62nd minute.

Tim Smolders struck from 20 metres to give hosts RBC their consolation goal in the 80th minute.

RBC are 16th with 23 points, seven points above bottom side Den Bosch, who are at home to NAC Breda on Sunday.

[muldertje]

Ajax has ende at a second place of the competition. AZ lost in the las 3 minutes of the came with 2-1, while they scored the first goal. Ajax win easily from RKc with 4-0

Kwalification voor de Cup with the big ears :D

[Lance Knight]

Sunday, May 8, 2005

Dutch: Ajax win seals second spot


AMSTERDAM, May 8 (Reuters) - Champions PSV Eindhoven washed away the bad taste of their last-gasp Champions League semi-final defeat by AC Milan by routing strugglers Graafschap Doetinchem 4-1 on Sunday.
Ajax Amsterdam, who thrashed RKC Waalwijk on Saturday, secured second spot and a place in the Champions League third qualifying round after third-placed AZ Alkmaar lost 2-1 at ADO Den Haag.


PSV, who defeated Milan 3-1 in the second leg on Wednesday but went out on the away goals rule, will be honoured later on Sunday at a ceremony in Eindhoven city hall.

Guus Hiddink's side were three goals up inside 12 minutes. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink headed home a cross by Brazilian Robert and another header gave the burly striker his 18th goal of the season. Philip Cocu added a third and Swiss midfielder Johann Vogel hit PSV's fourth early in the second half.

Unlike PSV, AZ suffered a hangover from their heartbreaking UEFA Cup semi-final defeat to Sporting on Thursday when the Portuguese side sneaked through late in extra time.

AZ again conceded late goals after Danish international Kenneth Perez had fired them ahead 12 minutes into the second half. Geert den Ouden equalised after 87 minutes and Eljero Elia sealed the win for ADO two minutes later.

AZ remain third with 64 points with Feyenoord fourth with 59 points despite their fourth consecutive loss, 2-0 at NEC Nijmegen.

Bart van den Eeden's penalty gave NEC the lead and Andrzej Niedzielan sealed the points four minutes from time.

[Lance Knight]

i saw the Ajax game it was pretty straight forward, Ajax had most of the control of the game, easy win for them