EREDIVISIE: Feyenoord 0-1 Ajax |

SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2014

FEYENOORD 0 – 1 AJAX

Ajax defeated Feyenoord by the single goal in this afternoon’s De Klassieker but they will have Jasper Cillessen and the woodwork to thank for the three points writes Will Burns.

Feyenoord head coach Fred Rutten must have wondered how his side was a goal down after just five minutes, when they could have so easily been in the lead. Jordy Clasie and Ruben Schaken had saw early chances hit the crossbar before Ricardo van Rhijn hit a 40-yard free-kick past the stranded Kenneth Vermeer to give Ajax the shock lead.

The Rotterdammers saw the woodwork prevent the equaliser as Sven van Beek rose above everyone from a Miquel Nelom cross. Minutes later, Jasper Cillessen pulled off a great save from Colin Kazim-Richards to remarkably keep the score at 1-0 to Ajax. Feyenoord were in full control of everything but the scoreline.

The chances were flowing for the hosts but none were easier than Colin Kazim-Richards just before the interval. After a whipping ball into the area from Jens Toornstra, the Turkish international did wonderful to control in the area and wrong-foot marker Niclas Moisander. However, the striker’s finished was a meagre effort as he dragged his shot wide from just yards out. The fans behind the goal in De Kuip all stood with their hands on their head.

The teams went into half-time with the Rotterdammers being far the better side but a goal down and the second-half was more of the same.

The Amsterdammers could truly thank Cillessen for the three points today as the Dutch international was quiet literally pulling out all the stops. After opposite number, Kenneth Vermeer showed a strong hand to deny Kolbeinn Sigthórsson at the other end, Cillessen stopped a great header from Jean-Paul Boëtius from a Luke Wilkshire free-kick.

As Feyenoord pressed, it looked likely that Rutten’s men would at least secure a point, especially when excellent work from Elvis Manu provided Mitchell te Vrede an excellent opportunity to equalise with five minutes remaining. The young striker had time to set himself up perfectly at the back post but his shot somehow stayed out via Van Rhijn and then Cillessen.

The striker grew more and more frustrated as did the raucous fans inside De Kuip when Te Vrede saw his late header tipped over the bar by the outstanding Cillessen.

Despite a massive 16 attempts on goal for the Rotterdammers, Ajax held on to win their fifth consecutive victory over their bitter rivals, which adds more pressure on Feyenoord boss Fred Rutten.