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EREDIVISIE 2017/18 REPORT: Week Twenty-Four

February 19, 2018 Will Burns Leave a comment

The twenty fourth round of Eredivisie action got underway on Friday evening at De Koel where visiting, FC Groningen came from behind to snatch a vital point from their clash with VVV Venlo to move seven points clear of the bottom three ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

With a late push for a place in the end-of-season UEFA Europa League play-offs not completely out of the question, it took Vito van Crooij just two minutes to put the home side into the ascendency with a low drive from just inside the area after the 22-year-old had been found in acres of space by Lennart Thy.

However, the visitors, who announced earlier in the week that 35-year-old Danny Buijs would succeed the outgoing Ernest Faber at the helm next term, who arrived in Venlo without a win since the turn of the year and with just six points separating them from Roda JC in 16^th would claw their way back onto level terms just thirteen minutes later when Gamba Osaka loanee, Ritsu Doan capped a marauding burst into the area by first, turning Nils Röseler inside out and then beating Lars Unnerstall with a low drive to ultimately secure a vital point in the away side’s quest to retain their top-flight status.

However, the hosts, for whom this point saw them close the gap between themselves and Vitesse Arnhem, who currently occupy the last of the UEFA Europa League play-off places, to six points, might have snatched the win late on had Röseler found the back of the net instead of heading a Clint Leemans corner against Sergio Padt’s crossbar fourteen minutes from time.

Saturday’s Eredivisie action began at the GelreDome where visiting, Excelsior came from behind to snatch all three points.

Having won three of their last four, it took hosts, Vitesse Arnhem just two minutes to break the deadlock when last week’s two-goal hero, Bryan Linssen headed an over-hit cross from Fankaty Dabo back for Luc Castaignos to claim just his third of the campaign in all competitions with a spectacular bicycle kick.

However, despite coming into this encounter without a win in their last four outings, the away side would claw their way back onto level terms just short of the interval when Hicham Faik beat Remko Pasveer with a speculative effort from well outside the area and things would get even better for Mitchell van der Gaag’s side in the 66^th minute when, with a marauding run from Stanley Elbers having left the home rear guard at sixes and sevens, an attempted clearance from Lassana Faye struck Mike van Duinen and ended up in the back of the host’s unguarded net to edge the visitors into what would ultimately prove to be an unassailable lead.

Elsewhere, high-flying AZ Alkmaar got back to winning ways by hitting a resurgent NAC Breda for three at the Rat Verlegh Stadion.

Despite drawing a blank in Venlo last time out, the away side would break the deadlock shortly after the half hour mark when Wout Weghorst laid the ball off for Alireza Jahanbakhsh to rifle his twelfth of the campaign into the roof of Nigel Bertrams’ net from just inside the area.

John van den Brom’s men might have doubled their advantage just three minutes after taking the lead but, have been picked out by a pinpoint cut-back from a marauding Jonas Svensson, Guus Til saw his fierce drive from just outside the box come back off Bertrams’ crossbar.

The visitors would effectively wrap up the points with two goals in the space of five minutes early in the second half when, with Oussama Idrissi having teed up Til to double the away side’s advantage with a speculative effort from well outside the area that took a wicked deflection off Manchester City loanee, Angelino two minutes after the restart, the 21-year-old would then square the ball for Mats Seuntjens to claim AZ’s third of the evening in the 52^nd minute with deceptive drive from range that left the home ‘keeper red faced.

Having announced his arrival by posting a goal and an assist in the host’s six-goal thrashing of Heracles, Roma loanee, Umar Sadiq would again provide some welcome punch from the bench when the Nigerian reduced the arrears five minutes from time by stabbing the ball home from close range after Marco Bizot had failed to hold on to his initial header before coming within a whisker of bagging a second when his curling effort was denied by the visiting ‘keeper’s crossbar in the third minute of added time.

It was a game of two halves in Eindhoven where, despite the hosts racing into a two-goal lead, the 45^th minute dismissal of Hirving Lozano opened the door for visiting, Heerenveen to snatch an unlikely point against table-topping PSV.

With just one defeat in their last ten outings in all competitions, when first, Santiago Arias nodded home a Hirving Lozano corner to open the scoring for the hosts in the 34^th minute before Mauro Junior capitalised on some loose play from Kik Pierie by dispossessing the17-year-old just outside the visitor’s area and slipping in Luuk de Jong to double the home side’s advantage just nine minutes later, another three points appeared to be in the bag for Phillip Cocu’s side.

However, when Lozano, who had been given his marching orders in the reverse fixture between the sides in early September in which Jurgen Streppel’s men had inflicted a first league defeat on the men from Eindhoven, was shown a straight red card by referee, Dennis Higler after the Mexican appeared to strike Lucas Woudenberg in the face as the two battled for the ball on the stroke of half time, what seemed a routine victory ultimately proved to be anything but for the Eredivisie pacesetters.

Despite taking just one point from the last six available, the visitors would make their numerical advantage count to claw their way back into the game eleven minutes after the restart when an unmarked Stijn Schaars ghosted in to side-foot home an Arber Zeneli corner from just inside the area before Reza Ghoochannejhad found himself in the right place at the right time to snatch an unlikely point for the away side eight minutes from time when the Iranian international capitalised on the chaos caused by Morten Thorsby’s initial attempt to stab the ball into an unguarded net at the second time of asking after his initial flick-on had been met with a weak punch from Jeroen Zoet.

Despite being a man down, the hosts might have grabbed all three points late on but Martin Hansen got down smartly to toe a de Jong header onto the inside of his right hand upright six minutes from time to preserve a hard-earned point for the visitors.

Saturday’s Eredivisie action was concluded in The Hague where a 92^nd minute spot kick from Abdenasser El Khayati sealed a come-from-behind victory for hosts, ADO Den Haag over struggling, Willem II.

Despite posting just one league victory from their last nine outings and having a covering Darryl Lachman to thank when the 28-year-old was in the right place at the right time to block a goal-bound effort from Lex Immers, after the former Feyenoord man had weaved his way through a number of would-be challengers and taken the ball around an exposed Mattijs Branderhorst with twenty two minutes on the clock at the Cars Jeans Stadion, it was the visitors who were the first to strike when ADO loanee, Thomas Meißner came back to haunt his parent club by cutting the ball back for Fran Sol to put Erwin van de Looi’s side ahead five minutes before the break.

However, having seen play-off rivals, Vitesse slip up earlier in the evening, the hosts weren’t about to pass up the opportunity to close the gap between themselves and Henk Fraser’s side and despite Bjørn Johnsen seeing a 56^th minute header come back off the foot of Branderhorst’s right hand upright, would find themselves back on level terms in the 69^th minute when the Norwegian forward nodded home a pinpoint cross from Abdenasser El Khayati to claim his seventh of the campaign in all competitions.

Then, with the game seemingly destined to end all square, Konstantinos Tsimikas pulled Immers to the ground inside the area as the 31-year-old attempted to get on the end of a Johnsen flick-on in the first minute of added time, leaving referee, Joey Kooij little choice but to award the hosts a penalty which El Khayati duly converted to edge Alfons Groenendijk’s men to within two points of the UEFA Europa League play-off places.

Sunday’s action began in Kerkrade where FC Utrecht temporarily edged their way into fourth after hitting struggling Roda JC for four at the Parkstad Limburg Stadion.

With the visitors yet to taste defeat under Jean-Paul de Jong, it didn’t take long for the away side to assert their authority over their relegation-threatened hosts and, buoyed by posting back-to-back home victories ahead of making the trip to Kerkrade, when Mateusz Klich chipped the ball through for Sander van de Streek to open the scoring with a delightful lob just short of the quarter hour mark, Utrecht didn’t look back.

The away side would double their lead twelve minutes into the second half when Mark van der Maarel found himself in the right place at the right time to smash home the rebound after Hidde Jurjus had done well to deny Zakaria Labyad’s initial effort with his outstretched left foot before an untracked van de Streek swept home a Klich cross to bag his second and the visitor’s third just six minutes later.

Despite second half substitute, Jorn Vancamp weighing in with his fourth goal in his last six outings in all competitions seven minutes from time it was the visitors who would have the last word when another substitute, Cyriel Dessers, found an unmarked Labyad, who, having been afforded an abundance of time and space inside the home side’s area, beat an exposed Jurjus to claim his thirteenth of the campaign in all competitions.

However, despite Utrecht posting a third win in as many games, it was reigning champions, Feyenoord who would end the weekend in fourth place after a 59^th minute strike from Robin van Persie edged Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s under-performing charges to victory over a dogged Heracles.

Despite the end result, a shock could well have been on the cards at De Kuip had the agility of Brad Jones not come to the host’s rescue ten minutes into the second half when the 34-year-old tipped a Kristoffer Peterson drive onto his own crossbar before getting up smartly to deny Brandley Kuwas as the 25-year-old looked set to put away the rebound.

With the shock defeat at the hands of VVV and last weekend’s capitulation at the hands of Vitesse still fresh in the minds of the Feyenoord faithful, the discontent continued to build until just short of the hour when Tonny Vilhena squared the ball for Robin van Persie to cap his first start since making his return to Rotterdam by curling home his second goal of his second spell with the club to secure a much needed three points for the hosts and alleviate the previously mounting pressure on van Bronckhorst.

At the same time a scrambled effort from Haris Vučkić five minutes from time denied rock-bottom, Sparta Rotterdam all three points in their clash with relegation rivals, FC Twente.

With the two sides separated by just two points ahead of this encounter, it looked as though the Dick Advocaat’s men were set to move off the foot of the standings at the expense of their hosts when, having come on as a half time replacement, debutant, Michiel Kramer chipped the ball through for Fred Friday to open the scoring in the 62^nd minute.

Yet the away side would ultimately end the weekend where they had begun it – propping up the rest, when Haris Vučkić forced a knock-down from Hidde ter Avest past an exposed Jannik Huth from close range to snatch the hosts a share of the spoils, seconds after an Adam Maher corner had sent alarm bells ringing in the Sparta box, five minutes from time.

Advocaat’s men might even have left empty handed had second half substitute, Danny Holla’s 94^th minute effort found the back of the net instead of cannoning back off a static Huth’s crossbar.

The twenty fourth round of Eredivisie action was concluded at the MAC3PARK Stadion where title-chasing Ajax took full advantage of table-topping PSV’s slip-up against Heerenveen on Saturday evening by coming away from their encounter with PEC Zwolle with a fourth successive victory to move within five points of Phillip Cocu’s side.

Following a goalless opening period in which they enjoyed the majority of the chances, the visitors emerged for the second half with an added spring in their step and, just five minutes after Donny van de Beek had seen a 49^th minute effort come back off the foot of Diederik Boer’s left hand upright and David Neres had somehow contrived to put the rebound over the bar when presented with an open goal seconds later, the away side would break the deadlock when Ajax’s Brazilian starlet made amends for his earlier miss by slipping in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for his tenth of the campaign.

The visitor’s margin of victory could have been even greater had a speculative effort from well outside the area by Justin Kluivert found the back of the net instead of cannoning off Boer’s crossbar on the hour and it was a similar story three minutes later when the 18-year-old’s miss-hit cross very nearly left the former Ajax ‘keeper red in the face.

Results: Week 24

VVV Venlo 1-1 FC Groningen

Vitesse Arnhem 1-2 Excelsior

NAC Breda 1-3 AZ Alkmaar

PSV Eindhoven 2-2 SC Heerenveen

ADO Den Haag 2-1 Willem II

Roda JC 1-4 FC Utrecht

Feyenoord 1-0 Heracles Almelo

FC Twente 1-1 Sparta Rotterdam

PEC Zwolle 0-1 AFC Ajax

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Rosenborg make Ajax concentrate on the Eredivisie

August 24, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

UEFA Europa League Play-off 2^nd leg

Rosenborg BK 3-2 AFC Ajax

(Rosenborg win 4-2 on aggregate)

Lerkendal Stadion

Thursday 24^th August 2017

A late brace from super-sub, Samuel Adegbenro sealed Norwegian champions, Rosenborg BK’s place in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League and, at the same time, consigned four-time European champions, Ajax to a season without continental competition.

Having seen their visitors escape with an undeserved one-goal advantage after their initial meeting in Amsterdam a week earlier, Ajax wasted little time in attempting to claw themselves back on level terms as a poorly judged back-pass from left back, Birger Meling almost inadvertently played in Kasper Dolberg – home ‘keeper, Andre Hansen being forced to scramble to deny Ajax’s Danish starlet on the edge of his box with just two minutes on the clock.

Ajax coach, Marcel Keizer had opted to rest both Dolberg and Lasse Schone during Sunday’s victory over Groningen before restoring both to the starting XI here and with Dolberg having already gone close early on, five minutes later, a swift counter-attack from the visitors culminated in Schone teeing up Hakim Ziyech, whose low drive from the edge of the area was clawed behind by the Rosenborg glovesman.

However, despite the visitor’s early dominance, history soon repeated itself as the home side took the lead with their first real attack of note when, having been found in acres of space on the right by skipper, Mike Jensen, Fredrik Midtsjø picked out an unmarked Nicklas Bendtner at the back post, whose diving header past an exposed Andre Onana broke the deadlock on the evening and doubled the host’s advantage in the tie overall with twenty five minutes gone.

Having taken the tie by the scruff of the neck, the hosts very nearly added a second when Yann Erik de Lanlay cut in from the left and was inches away from picking out a sliding Bendtner at the back post eight minutes before the break.

With elimination staring them in the face, the visitors wasted little time attempting to reduce the arrears following the interval – half time substitute, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar being denied by the outstretched right leg of the onrushing Hansen after a long ball from Ziyech had split the home defence and set the veteran marksmen through on goal.

The away side continued to press with both Nick Viergever and Schone going close early in the second half before Ziyech saw his drive from range palmed over the bar by Hansen in the 59^th minute.

From the resultant corner the ball was worked, via Mitchell Dijks, to the opposite flank before Joel Veltman’s dinked cross from the edge of the area found an unmarked Amin Younes, who slotted the ball past a scrambling Hansen from just outside the box to bring Ajax back into the tie on the hour mark.

Remarkably, just a minute later the visitors edged ahead on aggregate by virtue of the away goals rule – Younes cutting inside Midtsjø before hitting the by-line and picking out the late run of an untracked Schone at the back post with a pinpoint low cross which the Dane swept past Hansen to put the away side ahead both on the night and in the tie overall.

Anders Konradsen quickly attempted to redress the balance for the shell-shocked hosts – the 27-year-old’s drive from well outside the area cannoning off Onana’s left hand upright three minutes later.

However, it was the away side who looked the most likely to add another and fifteen minutes from time Hansen had to be on his toes once more to deny second half, substitute, Vaclav Cerny who, having got the jump on Meling, saw his effort turned aside by the Norwegian ‘keeper at his near post.

The visitors continued to search for a knock-out blow and, just two minutes later, went even closer as Younes, having evaded the attentions of Konradsen, saw his curling effort from just outside the area clip the outside of Hansen’s left hand upright.

Having drawn a blank in the 1^st leg, Kare Hedley Ingebrigtsen had turned to substitute, Samuel Adegbenro – whose subsequent strike thirteen minutes from time had handed the Norwegian champions the advantage ahead of this return encounter, and twenty-two minutes from time the Rosenborg coach turned to the Nigerian forward once more.

Remarkably, the switch again proved an inspired one as the 21-year-old soared above Matthijs de Ligt and Viergever at the back post to head an in-swinging cross from de Lanlay past a static Onana – levelling the scores on the evening and edging the home side ahead once more in the tie overall, ten minutes from time.

Incredibly, a minute from time, the Nigerian then capped an astonishing one-man rescue act – capitalising on a slip from Schone before evading the attentions of both second half substitute, Deyovaisio Zeefuik and Ajax skipper, Veltman to fire the ball beyond Onana and seal Rosenborg’s place in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League while condemning the side that graced the final of last year’s tournament to a season without any form of continental competition.

Man of the Match: Samuel Adegbenro (Rosenborg BK)

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Troillongan serve Ajax defeat

August 17, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

UEFA Europa League Play-off 1^st leg

AFC Ajax 0-1 Rosenborg BK

Johan Cruijff ArenA

Thursday 17^th August 2017

A solitary strike from Rosenborg substitute, Samuel Adegbenro thirteen minutes from time left four-time European champions, Ajax in danger of missing out on qualifying for the group stage of the tournament which they graced the final of last season – the defeat leaving Marcel Keizer’s men with it all to do when the two sides lock horns again seven days from now in Trondheim in the return leg of their UEFA Europa League Play-off tie.

With the hosts once more unable to call upon the services of in-demand centre-half Davinson Sanchez – who was locked in talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur, the Ajax rear guard, which had come under scrutiny in the aftermath of Saturday evening’s shock capitulation at the hands of Heracles, again displayed noticeable frailties in the early stages here with first, Nicklas Bendtner seeing his goal-bound header cleared off the line by Joel Veltman shortly before the quarter hour mark after Andre Onana had been drawn out of position by a Milan Jevtovic cut-back from the by-line before Birger Meling saw his attempted lob of the Ajax ‘keeper clear the onrushing Cameroonian’s crossbar after the marauding left back had been put in the clear by a well-weighted ball from Yann Erik de Lanlay three minutes later.

However, having weathered the reigning Norwegian champion’s early onslaught, Ajax soon took control and very nearly took the lead with twenty six minutes on the clock when, having turned Vegar Eggen Hedenstad inside out, Amin Younes’ speculative cross across the face of the visitor’s goal almost saw Jorgen Skjelvik put the ball past his own ‘keeper, Andre Hansen, who had to be on his toes to deny his own centre half from close range.

Galvanised by this near miss, Younes was soon giving Hedenstad a torrid time once more – the German cutting inside the Rosenborg right back before unleashing a vicious drive which Hansen did well to palm over the bar a minute later before the visiting ‘keeper was again called upon – coming off his line swiftly to deny Mitchell Dijks after the Ajax left back had been put through on goal by an incisive pass from Younes just after the half hour mark.

Having been preferred to Justin Kluivert by coach, Keizer in the Ajax starting XI, David Neres was presented with a glorious chance to break the deadlock six minutes before the break but, despite being found unmarked by at the back post by a deflected Dijks cross from the left, the Brazilian starlet could only scuff his effort wide of Hansen’s left hand upright.

Following the resumption, the home side quickly picked up where they left off and, having seen both Donny van de Beek and Lasse Schone fail to make their early opportunities count, Matthijs de Ligt found himself one-on-one with Hansen, who was off his line smartly to deny the young centre half on the edge of the box before the 18-year-old headed the resultant corner into the ground and over the bar just after the hour mark.

However, despite their dominance, the home side would find themselves behind with thirteen minutes to play when substitute, Samuel Adegbenro capitalised on a rare lapse in concentration by Veltman to put Kare Hedley Ingebrigtsen’s side into the ascendancy – the Ajax skipper failing to cut out an incisive through ball from another replacement – Matthias Vilhjalmsson, which found the Nigerian with time and space to slide the ball past an onrushing Onana.

Try as they might the hosts failed to create much in the way of clear-cut chances in the time that remained leaving Marcel Keizer’s side with it all to do in the return leg in Trondheim in a week’s time.

Man of the Match: Amin Younes (AFC Ajax)

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Chelsea boy Traore helps Ajax be triumphant

May 5, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

WEDNESDAY 3RD MAY 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – SEMI-FINALS – FIRST LEG

AJAX 4-1 LYON

A brace from Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore helped Ajax hit Olympique Lyonnais for four in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final tie at the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday evening to leave the four-time European champions with one foot in the final of a major continental competition for the first time in twenty one years.

Despite the French side bagging a valuable away goal through a second half strike from Mathieu Valbuena, Ajax’s three-goal cushion sees Peter Bosz’s side head into next Thursday evening’s 2^nd leg at the Parc OL very much in the driving seat.

With late strikes from first, Nick Viergever and then Amin Younes in the second half of extra time in Gelsenkirchen having seen Ajax clinch a first semi-final berth in continental competition in two decades, a subsequent loss in Eindhoven at the hands of outgoing back-to-back champions, PSV last time out had seen Bosz’s troops fall four points off the pace of league leaders, Feyenoord – who, with just two games of the domestic season left to play in the Netherlands, now seem certain to clinch their first Eredivisie crown since 1999, Ajax’s focus now centred on reaching the final of a European club competition for the first time since the then defending champions had narrowly lost out to Juventus following an agonising penalty shoot-out in the final of the UEFA Champions League at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in 1996.

Remarkably, Ajax had managed to clinch a place in the last four of Europe’s second tier club competition despite having been reduced to ten men during the 2^nd leg of their quarter final tie in Germany – Joel Veltman having been given his marching orders after the Dutch international had picked up a second yellow card for blocking the run of Algerian international, Nabil Bentaleb mid-way inside the visitor’s half ten minutes from time. As a result, both he and Viergever – who accrued one booking too many in Gelsenkirchen, were forced to watch the 1^st leg from the stands with Jairo Riedewald and Kenny Tete drafted in as cover.

Having eventually seen off the challenge of Turkish champions, Besiktas following an epic penalty shoot-out – Lyon’s quarter final tie having ended 3-3 on aggregate after Bruno Genesio’s side had slipped to a 2-1 defeat in the 2^nd leg at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, the French side arrived in the Netherlands somewhat understrength with talismanic forward, Alexandre Lacazette only deemed fit enough for a place on the bench.

However, it was the away side who made much of the early running and Genesio’s side went close to taking the lead with just ten minutes on the clock when, having stolen a march on Davinson Sanchez, Maxwel Cornet’s sliding effort from close range was turned behind by a smart save by Andre Onana after Lucas Tousart had picked out the 20–year-old on the edge of the box with a sharp cut-back from the by-line.

Following a sluggish start to proceedings the home side suddenly came to life in the 25^th minute and hit the front via the deftest of touches from Bertrand Traore – the Chelsea loanee glancing home a Hakim Ziyech free kick from the right which left Lyon ‘keeper, Anthony Lopes rooted to the spot.

Eleven minutes before the interval the hosts doubled their advantage when, having shown Mouctar Diakhaby a clean pair of heels, Danish starlet, Kasper Dolberg punished a poor clearance by Lopes that had only managed to find the head of Traore – whose vision had initially put the 19-year-old in the clear, by rifling home his twentieth goal in all competitions this term.

The home side could have enjoyed a three-goal advantage at the break but, having unlocked the visiting defence once more via a crisp give-and-go between both he and Ajax skipper, Davy Klaassen, Amin Younes was then denied by the reflexes of Lopes with a minute of the half remaining.

Having very nearly been made to pay for failing to put quarter final opponents, Schalke 04 to the sword during a dominant 1^st leg display in the previous round, Bosz’s side emerged for the second half with purpose and added a third four minutes after the resumption when an incisive through ball from Ziyech found Younes with time and space to beat both Lopes and the best efforts of Diakhaby – whose clearance from behind the line came a split second too late.

The home side could have put the tie to bed three minutes later but, having dispossessed Nicolas Nkoulou just inside the visitor’s half, Dolberg saw his venomous effort from range repelled by Lopes, who, five minutes later, was again called into action – the Portuguese international this time turning away a Traore drive from the right edge of the area.

With a proverbial mountain to climb, the away side eventually showed signs of life and bagged a valuable away goal when Mathieu Valbuena rifled home from just inside the area after the home side failed to deal with a Christophe Jallet cross from the right in the 66^th minute.

Genesio’s side had enjoyed their last encounter with Dutch opposition – having hit AZ Alkmaar for eleven over two legs earlier in the competition and, buoyed by Valbuena’s strike, the away side could have bagged a second just two minutes later but for the quick thinking of Onana who was out smartly to deny Nabil Fekir after substitute, Rachid Ghezzal had put the 23-year-old in the clear with only the Cameroonian to beat.

However, backed by a raucous home crowd which included the man who masterminded the club’s triumph in the competition (under its previous guise as the UEFA Cup) in 1992 before guiding Ajax to UEFA Champions League glory three years later – Louis van Gaal, the home side set themselves on track to emulate the club’s last ‘Golden Generation’ by restoring their three-goal cushion nineteen minutes from time when Ziyech teed up the home side’s star man, Traore for a close range finish with a rifled cross from the left after the Moroccan international’s unchecked run had initially been found by a perfectly weighted chip over the visitor’s back line by Klaassen.

Man of the Match: Bertrand Traore.

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Ajax shock Schalke on way to Semis

April 26, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

THURSDAY 20th APRIL 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALS – SECOND LEG

SCHALKE 3-2 AJAX

(Ajax win 4-3 on aggregate)

Despite being a man down following the second half dismissal of Joel Veltman, goals from Nick Viergever and Amin Younes deep into extra time secured Ajax’s place in the semi-final of a continental competition for the first time in twenty years and also kept Peter Bosz’s side on course for a remarkable double after the Dutch giants overcame hosts, Schalke 4-3 on aggregate – despite losing 3-2 on the night in Gelsenkirchen in the 2^nd leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter final tie.

However, Bosz’s men left it late to seal their place in the final four of the competition as, despite dominating the first leg in Amsterdam, the four-time European champion’s failure to convert more than just a brace of goals from inspirational skipper, Davy Klaassen in the two side’s first encounter would come back to haunt them as, having levelled the tie on aggregate, the home side hit their undermanned visitors with, what appeared to be, a knockout blow six minutes into extra time to put themselves into the driving seat and seemingly cruising towards a semi-final berth until Bosz’s men leapt off the canvas to deliver a one-two punch of their own that left Schalke out for the count.

Having dominated the initial meeting between the sides a week earlier in Amsterdam, the visitors were immediately placed under immense pressure by their German hosts who, despite their lowly league position, could boast an unbeaten home record in the competition ahead of this encounter – Leon Goretzka going close inside a minute before 21-year-old, Max Meyer hit the outside of Andre Onana’s left hand upright with the visitor’s rear guard at sixes and sevens after a simple square ball from Guido Burgstaller had the German international in acres of space on the left.

Despite the home side’s early onslaught, the visitors back line held firm and Ajax – who had lost just five of their 49 matches in all competitions prior to this encounter, went close through the unlikely figure of Nick Viergever, whose acrobatic bicycle kick was gathered at the second attempt by Schalke’s star performer of the first leg – Ralf Fahrmann, after the visitor’s left back was found unmarked at the back post by a Hakim Ziyech corner from the left in the 24^th minute.

Having weathered the home side’s early attacking storm, the visitors – who had lost just once since the turn of the year in all competitions ahead of making the trip to Germany, had the ball in the back of Fahrmann’s net just after the half hour mark. However, Romanian referee, Ovidiu Hategan adjudged that Amin Younes had been in an offside position when the former Borussia Monchengladbach man had been found by an incisive through ball from Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore in the 32^nd minute.

With no goals at the break, the home side – who, in sharp contrast to the fine form of their guests, came into the 2^nd leg of this tie having lost three of their last four in all competitions, appeared to be heading out as Bosz’s side emerged from the interval with a spring in their step – the returning Lasse Schone seeing Fahrmann push his goal-bound free kick from just outside the area around the Schalke ‘keeper’s right hand upright two minutes after the restart before the 28-year-old was down smartly to deny a Traore daisy cutter from the edge of the area in the 50^th minute.

Yet, despite their sluggish start to the second half, it was the hosts who would eventually break the deadlock on the night and claw their way back into the tie – Burgstaller slipping in German international, Goretzka whose low drive from just inside the area beat Onana – despite the 21-year-old getting a hand to the ball, as it rocketed into the back of the Cameroonian’s net in the 53^rd minute.

Following the breakthrough there came a noticeable shift in momentum in favour of the home side who doubled their advantage on the night just three minutes later to level the tie on aggregate through Burgstaller – the Austrian forward rifling home a Sead Kolasinac cross from the left from just outside the box to notch his ninth in Schalke colours following his mid-season switch from second tier, Nurnberg.

With the chance of making the final four of a European competition for the first time in two decades seemingly slipping through their fingers, Bosz’s men rallied and went close to restoring their overall advantage in the tie shortly before the hour mark as Ziyech saw his effort from just outside the area palmed to safety by Fahrmann.

However, it was the hosts who were now in firm control of the tie and, shortly after the hour mark, Markus Weinzierl’s men were unlucky not to find a third when a Meyer free kick from the right was headed just wide of Onana’s right hand upright by Benedikt Howedes and, when Joel Veltman was given his marching orders by the Romanian official after picking up a second yellow card for blocking the run of Algerian international, Nabil Bentaleb mid-way inside the visitor’s half ten minutes from time, it appeared only a matter of time before the hosts delivered the knock-out blow to their seemingly punch-drunk guests.

Yet, despite the best efforts of German international, Howedes – who saw his sliding effort gathered at the second attempt by Onana with substitute, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar sniffing for scraps in the fourth minute of added time, with the scores level on aggregate, the tie was sent into extra time.

By this point the away side – for whom this was their sixteenth European outing of what has been a long and winding journey in continental competition that began in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League all the way back on 26^th July, were looking weary and it came as little surprise when the hosts delivered, what appeared to be, the killing blow after Kolasinac hit the by-line and dinked the ball to the far post for Daniel Caligiuri who, having out-jumped both Matthijs de Ligt and Viergever, headed the ball past Onana six minutes into extra time.

But, just when it looked as through the Amsterdammer’s European odyssey was at an end – having scored a remarkable 106 goals in all competitions this season, Bosz’s men dug deep to find number 107 through the unlikely figure of Viergever, who, having been denied from range just seconds earlier, diverted home Serbian international, Matija Nastasic’s attempted intervention from the edge of the box – following a Kenny Tete cross from the right that set alarm bells ringing in the Schalke defence, to not only bring Ajax back from the dead but put the four-time European champions ahead in the tie overall by virtue of the away goals rule.

Having seen their advantage turn to dust, the hosts could only watch in horror as the away side – buoyed by Viergever’s strike, threatened to find a second as first, Ziyech was denied by Fahrmann – the Moroccan having skipped unhindered through the Schalke rear guard, before Viergever squandered another chance after having been sent clear five minutes from time.

In the end, with the hosts chasing in vain for a fourth, it was Ajax who ensured they would emerge victorious in the tie overall by finding their second of the evening in the last minute of extra time through Younes, who – having being slipped in by an incisive pass from Ziyech, evaded the attentions of both Nastasic and substitute, Johannes Geis before drilling the ball past Fahrmann to secure one of the continent’s most decorated clubs a place in the final four of a European competition – one which they won in its previous guise in 1992, for the first time since 1997.

Peter Bosz’s side will now face Lyon – with the 1^st leg to come on the 4^th May at the Amsterdam ArenA, after the French side overcame Besiktas 7-6 on penalties – their quarter final tie having ended 3-3 on aggregate after Bruno Genesio’s side had slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the reigning Turkish champions in the 2^nd leg at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul, for a place in the final of the competition which will be held in Sweden on 24^th May at the Friends Arena in Solna.

Man of the Match: Nick Viergever.

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EUROPA LEAGUE, EUROPA LEAGUE REPORT

Davy shows Schalke that his Klaas is permanent

April 16, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

THURSDAY 13th APRIL 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALS – FIRST LEG

AJAX 2-0 SCHALKE

A double from Ajax skipper, Davy Klaassen put the four-time European champions in pole position to make the semi-final of a European competition for the first time in 20 years following their 2-0 victory over a lacklustre Schalke 04 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Amsterdam ArenA on Thursday evening.

Despite the inclusion of Donny van de Beek at the expense of the injured Lasse Schone meaning that the home side’s starting line-up had an average age of just 23, Peter Bosz’s men – who came into this quarter final tie having won nineteen of their last twenty home games in all competitions, scarcely missed a beat in what was, ultimately, one of the best performances from an Ajax side on the European stage in many years.

Following a tentative opening, the game sprang to life in the 12^th minute when Daniel Caligiuri’s headed clearance from a Klaassen cross from the left only found its way to van de Beek whose volley from just outside the area was gathered by Schalke ‘keeper, Ralf Fahrmann at the second attempt.

The hosts continued to ramp up the pressure thereafter and were given the opportunity to take the lead just ten minutes later when Hakim Ziyech set a break in motion with a well weighted diagonal which found Amin Younes with time and space on the left to cut inside Thilo Kehrer – whom he would give a torrid evening, before being tripped by Alessandro Schopf inside the visitor’s area leaving Russian official, Sergey Karasev little option but to point to the spot from which Dutch international, Klaassen made no mistake – sending Fahrmann the wrong way to put the hosts into the ascendancy in the 23^rd minute.

The home side – who won this competition under its previous guise as the UEFA Cup in 1992, could have doubled their advantage just after the half hour mark but instead saw Matija Nastasic’s attempted clearance rattle Fahrmann’s crossbar after the centre half had been forced to scramble under the attentions of Davinson Sanchez who had remained in the box after a Ziyech corner from the left had only been partially cleared by the Schalke rear guard before being put back into the mixer from the opposite flank by van de Beek.

Having gone in at the break a goal-to-the-good, the home side re-emerged for the second half in determined mood and deservedly doubled their advantage seven minutes after the restart – Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore picking out Justin Kluivert with a measured diagonal ball from just inside the opposition’s half before the 17-year-old then cut in from the right and beat Caligiuri to tee up Klaassen with a nice square ball that found Ajax’s influential skipper with time and space on the edge of the box to half volley the home side’s second of the evening past an exposed Fahrmann in the Schalke net.

From that moment on the chances came thick and fast as Schalke – who came into the tie having posted just three wins in their last thirteen outings in all competitions, were overrun in all areas of the field by their rampant hosts.

Just two minutes later it could have been three when Traore drew a smart save from Fahrmann having been fed by Younes after the diminutive German had intercepted an errant ball from Dennis Aogo on half way before the former Borussia Monchengladbach man then drew a save of his own from Fahrmann three minutes later following a period of concerted pressure before Traore again went close – drawing another stop from Fahrmann a minute later as the hosts threatened to run riot with their visitors seemingly on the ropes.

In the end, Fahrmann proved to be the difference between remaining in the tie and being left a mountain to climb in the return leg in Gelsenkirchen for Markus Weinzierl’s beleaguered troops – the goalkeeper coming to his side’s aid twice in quick succession 23 minutes from time by first denying compatriot, Younes after the 23-year-old had been slipped in by Traore before the Burkinabé forward was then also repelled by the reflexes of Fahrmann – whose back-line melted away before his very eyes, as the man on loan from Stamford Bridge cut between the ineffectual challenges of both Kehrer and Nastasic before getting his shot away.

There was a brief reprieve for the visitors when the stadium rose-as-one to give former Ajax marksman, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar a heroes’ reception when the Dutch international was introduced to proceedings – replacing Schopf, nineteen minutes from time.

The onslaught continued thereafter – the home side going even closer to adding a third fourteen minutes from the end when, having turned a Younes effort around his near post, Fahrmann then had his crossbar rattled for a second time as van de Beek went close from the edge of the area from Ziyech’s resultant corner.

Peter Bosz will hope his side don’t live to regret the plethora of chances they squandered during a dominant second half performance, the last of which fell to Nick Viergever – Fahrmann once more on his toes to deny a point blank header from the Ajax left back after the 27-year-old evaded his marker to connect with another Ziyech corner from the left eleven minutes from time.

Despite putting in a woeful performance, Schalke – currently languishing in a disappointing tenth position in the Bundesliga standings, who themselves tasted success in this competition twenty years ago, managed to weather the home side’s attacking storm and despite creating nothing of note did give themselves a chance of turning the tie around in the 2^nd leg at the Veltins Arena next Thursday evening by escaping with just a two-goal deficit to overcome in front of their own supporters.

Man of the Match: Amin Younes

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REPORT

Danes conquer but Ajax grab vital away goal

March 11, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

THURSDAY 9TH MARCH 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 16 – FIRST LEG

FC COPENHAGEN 2-1 AJAX

FC Copenhagen took a step closer to a place in the quarter finals of the UEFA Europa League after an Andreas Cornelius strike just short of the hour mark edged the Danish champions ahead of four-time European champions, Ajax in the 1^st leg of their round of 16 encounter.

However, Peter Bosz’s men become the first side to score at the Telia Parken since 20^th August and, in the process, snagged a priceless away goal ahead of the return leg at the Amsterdam ArenA on 16^th March.

The Ajax coach was forced to shuffle his cards ahead of this round of 16 encounter with both Colombian centre half, Davinson Sanchez and Dutch international, Joel Veltman ruled out through suspension for the visitors. Having featured against Groningen at the weekend, 17-year-old Matthijs de Ligt retained his place at centre half alongside the returning Nick Viergever, while Bosz also drafted in Kenny Tete – who was again free for selection following his dismissal in the 1^st leg of Ajax’s round of 32 tie with Legia Warsaw which had seen the Dutch international sit out the return leg in which the Lancers had squeezed past the Polish champions by virtue of a solitary strike by Viergever.

Having lost just once this season in all competitions – coming up short against reigning Premier League champions, Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in the UEFA Champions League on 18^th October, Stale Solbakken’s side roared out of the blocks and caught their illustrious visitors cold –taking the lead with less than a minute on the clock after a well-weighted dink over the top of the visitor’s shuffled rear guard by William Kvist found the untracked run of Rasmus Falk Jensen who took the pass in his stride before firing the ball hard and low across the face of Ajax’s exposed ‘keeper, Andre Onana and into the back of the net to put the hosts into the ascendancy with just 27 seconds on the clock.

With Moroccan winger, Youssef Toutouh having already dragged a pair of chances wide of Onana’s right hand upright, the hosts – who finished third in a UEFA Champions League group that, in addition to Leicester, had included Porto and Club Brugge to earn a place in European club football’s second tier competition, where they had negotiated their way past Bulgarian outfit, Ludogorets in the round of 32, threatened to extend their lead further just short of the half hour mark but Paraguayan forward, Federico Santander failed to make Viergever pay for a sloppy piece of distribution – firing the ball wide of Onana’s left hand upright after finding himself one-on-one with the visiting glovesman.

With the away side having immediately found themselves on the back foot, Peter Bosz’s men rallied admirably as the opening half wore on and struck an important mental blow in the tie by becoming the first side to score at the Telia Parken since a strike by Christian Bassogog ultimately earned a point for AaB in a Danish Superliga encounter against the reigning Danish champions on 20^th August – Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore cutting in from the right and slipping in Ajax skipper, Davy Klaassen whose cross was finished superbly by Kasper Dolberg – the Danish starlet making his compatriots pay with a spectacular bicycle kick despite the attentions of Peter Ankersen on the edge of the box with 32 minutes on the clock.

The sides would go in all square at the break despite Falk Jensen having the ball in the back of the visitor’s net again just before the break – the 25-year-old seeing his effort ruled out after Santander had been adjudged to be in an offside position during the build-up by referee, Artur Dias Soares.

Yet, this would prove to be just a temporary reprieve for the 33-time Dutch champions who – despite making a bright start to the second half found themselves trailing once more as their hosts re-established their superiority just short of the hour mark – Ankersen burning off the attentions of Daley Sinkgraven on the right before picking out Cornelius who – having out-muscled de Ligt, beat Onana with a towering header in the 59^th minute.

With both sides having squandered chances in the closing stages, the visitors did have the ball in the back of their host’s net three minutes from time. Yet, Dolberg’s 87^th minute header was ruled out by referee, Soares who adjudged that the 19-year-old had pushed Uros Matic in the back prior to beating Robin Olsen in the Copenhagen goal.

The decision didn’t sit well with the Ajax players – least of all skipper, Klaassen who talked himself into the book of the Portuguese official – earning a yellow card that will now rule the influential Dutch international out of the return leg in Amsterdam in a week’s time.

Man of the Match: Uros Matic

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EUROPA LEAGUE, EUROPA LEAGUE REPORT

Ajax struggle but progress to face Danes

February 25, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

THURSDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 32 – FIRST LEG

AJAX 1-0 LEGIA WARSAW

A lone strike by unlikely hero, Nick Viergever four minutes into the second half of a tense and tight 2^nd leg at the Amsterdam ArenA ultimately proved enough to earn Ajax passage into the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League at the expense of reigning Polish champions, Legia Warsaw.

The two sides came into the return leg locked at nil-nil despite the four-time European champions having had a perfectly good goal ruled out in the eighth minute of their initial encounter when skipper, Davy Klaassen’s volley from just outside the box appeared to be fumbled over the line by Legia ‘keeper, Arkadiusz Malarz. However, with referee, David Jose Fernandez Borbalan unsighted and unable to call upon goal-line technology for assistance, the hosts escaped and the score remained goalless ahead of the return match in Amsterdam.

With Kenny Tete suspended following his dismissal in the opening match of this round of 32 tie and Daley Sinkgraven also missing for Peter Bosz’s side, Joel Veltman and Jairo Riedewald were the only changes from the eleven that took the field a week earlier in Warsaw, while Bosz also named Ajax’s recent €12 million signing, David Neres on the bench for the first time for the hosts.

With just one win from four since returning from a lengthy winter break and Miroslav Radovic missing through suspension, Legia coach, Jacek Magiera opted to leave Czech striker, Tomas Necid on the bench in favour of playing a more compact formation with Michal Kucharczyk effectively operating as a ‘false nine’ in an effort to keep things tight in light of the Polish champion’s defensive frailties in continental competition thus far this season – Legia having taken up their place in the round of 32 by virtue of finishing an unlikely third in a UEFA Champions League group containing Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Lisbon despite having conceded a whopping 24 goals in the process.

Magiera’s tactics served to stifle the flow of proceedings in a largely uneventful opening period with the host’s best and only real goal-scoring opportunity of note falling to Moroccan maestro, Hakim Ziyech – whose low drive from just outside the area twenty minutes in found its way through a cluster of legs before striking the foot of visiting ‘keeper, Malarz’s left hand upright with Legia centre half, Michal Pazdan forced to scramble the rebound away from the feet of the lurking, Kasper Dolberg on the edge of the box.

Having endured a frustrating opening forty five minutes, the hosts stormed out of the blocks after the break and hit the front four minutes into the second half – Nick Viergever – having been handed a more attacking role on the left due to the absence of Sinkgraven, finding himself in the right place at the right time to tuck away the tie’s opening and ultimately decisive goal after Malarz could only palm a low Amin Younes drive from just inside the area into the 27-year-old’s path.

However, despite commanding the majority of the ball, the hosts failed to assert their authority thereafter, leaving the tie poised on a knife-edge. Yet, with Legia fully aware that a single away goal would swing the result in their favour, the reigning Polish champions – who currently trail league leaders, Lechia Gdansk by five points in the Ekstraklasa, could only fashion one real goal-scoring opportunity of note – Kucharczyk drawing a smart near-post stop from the host’s largely untroubled ‘keeper, Andre Onana seven minutes from time.

Deep into added time, the home side did almost find a second. However, despite boasting a five on one advantage, Ziyech contrived to squander the opportunity to ensure Ajax’s place in the round of 16 – the Moroccan hitting the ball weakly at a grateful Malarz after being played in by Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore who, seconds earlier, had led the length-of-the-field break after visiting substitute, Thibault Moulin’s effort had been charged down on the on the edge of the host’s area following a Legia corner.

In the end, Peter Bosz’s side – who, following AZ Alkmaar’s drubbing at the hands of Lyon, are now the sole Dutch representatives in European competition, didn’t require a second goal to seal their place in the last 16 of the competition where they will now face reigning Danish champions, FC Copenhagen.

Man of the Match: Nick Viergever

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EUROPA LEAGUE, EUROPA LEAGUE REPORT

Ajax held due to officials blunder

February 19, 2017 Will Burns Leave a comment

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 32 – FIRST LEG

LEGIA WARSAW 0-0 AJAX

Ten-man Ajax came away from a potentially tricky trip to Poland in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie against Legia Warsaw unscathed after the two sides played out a goalless draw at the Polish Army Stadium and the undermanned visitors could have had more had goal-line technology been available to the official.

The four-time European champions appeared to have taken the lead in the eighth minute when Ajax skipper, Davy Klaassen’s volley from just outside the box – following a perfectly placed left wing cross from Hakim Ziyech, appeared to be fumbled over the line by Legia ‘keeper, Arkadiusz Malarz. However, with referee, David Jose Fernandez Borbalan unsighted and unable to call upon goal-line technology for assistance, the hosts escaped and the score remained goalless.

Following the early controversy, the game entered a tentative feeling out process until a promising break by Amin Younes eleven minutes before the interval was squandered by Ziyech – who fluffed his lines by presenting Malarz with a comfortable save having been played in on goal by the marauding German. But the visitors continued to pile on the pressure and, just two minutes later, the home ‘keeper had to be down sharply to deny Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore at his near post.

Jacek Magiera’s side – who took up their place in the round of 32 by virtue of finishing an unlikely third in a UEFA Champions League group that had contained Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Lisbon despite having conceded a whopping 24 goals in the process, created only one real chance of note in the first half which fell to Bursaspor loanee, Tomas Necid, but the Czech forward – who spent a productive loan spell in the Eredivisie with PEC Zwolle while on the books of CSKA Moscow before making the move permanent in February of 2015 and moving to Turkey on a free transfer later that year, failed to get any real power behind his 39^th minute volley which Ajax ‘keeper, Andre Onana held comfortably.

There was still time for the visitors to squander another effort before the interval with Kasper Dolberg this time the culprit – the Danish starlet ballooning his attempt high and wide of Malarz’s goal from the edge of the box after having been teed up by a perfectly placed square ball from Younes a minute before half time.

With the visitors having wasted a number of opportunities, the reigning Polish champions who currently sit four points off the pace behind Lechia Gdansk in the Ekstraklasa – which has only just resumed following a prolonged winter break, almost made Peter Bosz’s men pay on the hour mark when substitute, Michal Kucharczyk cut in from the right and squared the ball past the outstretched arm of Onana to present Miroslav Radovic with what appeared to be a simple tap-in until the returning Kenny Tete beat the Legia skipper to the ball to keep the visitors on level terms.

Having overcome the same opposition at the same stage of the same competition two seasons ago the visitors found Magiera’s men a more difficult not to crack than the Legia side the Lancers dumped out of the competition 4-0 on aggregate in 2014/15 but had one more opportunity to take a priceless lead into the second leg when, following a neat give and go between Lasse Schone and Ziyech, the Dane was denied at the near post by the legs of Malarz twelve minutes from time.

Coming into this encounter, Ajax coach, Bosz had made one enforced change from the eleven that had taken the field against Sparta Rotterdam at the weekend with Kenny Tete replacing Joel Veltman – who was omitted due to illness, and it ended up being an eventful evening for the 21-year-old who has been largely out of favour this term.

Having saved his side’s blushes on the hour, the Dutch international then collected a booking in the 71^st minute before being somewhat harshly given his marching orders by referee, Borbalan six minutes from time after tugging back Legia’s Brazilian midfielder, Guiherme on half way.

Despite being a man up the hosts failed to make their advantage count – meaning that there will be all to play for in the second leg at the Amsterdam ArenA in a week’s time.

Man of the Match: Amin Younes

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EUROPA LEAGUE, EUROPA LEAGUE REPORT

Magic from Dolberg enough to make Liege challenge disappear

October 1, 2016 Will Burns Leave a comment

A lone Kasper Dolberg strike in the 28^th minute of their Group G encounter with Standard Liège was enough to see Ajax make it two wins from two in group play in the UEFA Europa League reports Steven Davies.

THURSDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – GROUP G

AJAX 1-0 STANDARD LIEGE

Following an indifferent performance against Panathinaikos that nonetheless yielded all three points from a tricky trip to Greece, former four time European Champions, Ajax welcomed Belgian side Standard Liege to the Amsterdam ArenA on the back of a six game winning streak that has seen Peter Bosz’s charges reassert themselves into the title picture in the Eredivisie while also recording wins in both domestic and continental cup competitions.

Peter Bosz named a largely unchanged side from the weekend victory over PEC Zwolle –the inclusion of Serbian international, Nemanja Gudelj at the expense of Hakim Ziyech being the only change for the hosts – Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore continuing on the right with Kasper Dolberg preferred once again down the middle of the front three while Daley Sinkgraven was again deployed at left back.

Recently appointed Standard Liege coach, Aleksandar Jankovic named the same starting eleven that had begun the 2016 Belgian Cup winners’ 3-0 win over Eupen on Sunday – a line-up that included a return for former Ajax midfielder, Eyong Enoh who spent six years in Amsterdam and was a part of two title winning sides under former coach, Frank de Boer while also lifting the KNVB Beker under Martin Jol in 2010.

In front of a sparse yet vocal crowd, it was the visitors who were out of the blocks the quickest – Benito Raman, high on confidence – having netted in each of his last three games in all competitions, flashing a shot wide of Andre Onana’s right hand upright with just two minutes on the clock while Mathieu Dossevi tested the Cameroon international’s handling four minutes later.

The hosts gradually began to find their feet in the match and it was Traore – looking far more comfortable in his wider role, who carved the host’s first clean cut opportunity in front of goal – cutting in from the right before sidestepping two defenders and testing the handling of Catania loanee, Jean-Francois Gillet in the Liege nets with a low drive with twelve minutes gone.

The man on loan from Chelsea continued to pull the strings for the Amsterdam giants – playing a neat slide rule pass for Amin Younes who then fed Davy Klaassen – the Dutch international drawing a point bank save from the Liege ‘keeper just past the quarter hour before Dolberg worked the Standard glovesman with a neat headed flick on from the resultant corner from Gudelj.

The hosts, who tasted success in the UEFA Cup – the previous guise of the UEFA Europa League, in 1992, continued to turn up the pressure as the game neared the half way point of the first half – Colombian centre half, Davinson Sanchez – who bagged a brace in the weekend victory over PEC Zwolle, dragging an attempt from the edge of the visitor’s area wide of the mark.

The pressure told a couple of minutes short of the half hour mark when Traore picked up the ball from Gudelj on half way before finding Dolberg, who evaded the attentions of Standard skipper, Adrien Trebel – whose wayward pass Gudelj had initially intercepted, before slotting the ball past Gillet for the 18-year-old, Dane’s sixth goal of the season to give the hosts a deserved lead.

The hosts should have extended their lead a minute before the half time break when Traore cut in from the right, finding Klaassen on the edge of the Standard area whose perfect one touch pass found goal scorer, Dolberg who attempted to return the favour as Gillet rushed out to narrow the Dane’s angle of opportunity –Klaassen being beaten to the punch on the line by Cameroonian defender, Collins Fai who cleared the danger to keep the visitors in the game.

Following a quiet opening to the second stanza, the visitors unexpectedly almost found themselves on level terms when a miscommunication between centre half, Nick Viergever and Onana sent the Cameroonian stopper scrambling – managing to stick out a leg to avoid a calamitous own goal twelve minutes after the resumption.

But the Ajax ‘keeper was off his line smartly in the 67^th minute to deny Dossevi a goal scoring opportunity when, following a flick on from Algerian target man, Ishak Belfodil, the Togo international had found himself in acres of space at the back post.

The host’s awoke from their slumber as the game entered the final twenty minutes – Nemanja Gudelj sending a free kick from just outside the area inches wide of Gillet’s right hand post with eighteen minutes to play.

Three minutes later, substitute Mateo Cassierra broke free and teed up his captain who in turn laid the ball on for an onrushing Younes whose shot was deflected wide of Gillet’s left hand upright from just inside the area.

Despite time rapidly running out for the visitors, the game was by no means safe for de Godenzonen – just a minute later Standard substitute, Jean-Luc Dompe cut in from the left and burned off the attentions of Dutch international, Joel Veltman before seeing his goal-bound shot blocked by Sinkgraven

Then, with six minutes remaining, Isaac Mbenza picked up the ball on the edge of the Ajax area and bent a wicked curling effort onto Onana’s left hand upright with the home ‘keeper well beaten.

The game continued to seesaw from one end to the other when the hosts again threatened to make the game safe in the 89^th minute – substitute, Jairo Riedewald threading an incisive ball through the centre of the visitor’s defence into the path of Cassierra but Gillet was quickly off his line to clear up the danger on the edge of his area.

Then, just seconds after the Colombian forward had fluffed an attempted volley from just outside the box, following a cushioned header from fellow substitute, Anwar El Ghazi, into the grateful hands of Gillet, the visitors threatened to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat – Dompe seeing his right-footed curling effort from just outside the area clawed out of the top left hand corner by Onana in the third minute of stoppage time.

However, try as they might, the visitors couldn’t force a breakthrough and, with six points from six in UEFA Europa League group play, Peter Bosz’s charges next face a trip to Spain to face Celta Vigo on 20^th October.

Man of the Match: Bertrand Traore

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EREDIVISIE REPORT

EREDIVISIE REPORT: Week Six

September 20, 2016 Will Burns Leave a comment

Advantage Feyenoord in the title race – Steven Davies is on hand to describe all the action from round six of Eredivisie season.

The sixth week of play in the Eredivisie got underway at the Stadion Galgenwaard where two of the surprise early season strugglers came face to face as Utrecht – with three points and no wins from their first five games took on Ernest Faber’s struggling Groningen, who themselves entered this Friday evening fixture second off bottom with just two points and similarly without a win in their first five outings of the 2016/17 campaign.

A few months in football can seem like a lifetime – not least for Erik ten Hag, whose exploits last term resulted in an unsuccessful appearance in the final of the KNVB Beker, a fifth place finish and the Rinus Michels Award – an honour which recognises the Coach of the Year in the Netherlands. Yet few could have predicted just how quickly things would unravel for the Utrecht coach.

Despite arriving relatively early in the campaign, both sides understood the importance of collecting three points against an opponent facing a similar plight. Yet, it was the visitors who began the brighter – looking dangerous on the counter attack throughout the match and creating goal scoring opportunities with alarming regularity.

Unsurprisingly, it was Groningen who hit the lead with just 13 minutes on the clock when live wire attacking midfielder, Oussama Idrissi intercepted a misplaced back pass by Ramon Leeuwin and, having found himself one on one with Menno Koch, promptly turned the Utrecht defender inside out before slotting the ball past home ‘keeper, Robbin Ruiter.

Idrissi – easily the best player on the park, was on the scoresheet again as the clock ticked towards the half time break – the 20-year-old’s persistence being rewarded when, following a succession of goal scoring attempts that had been repeatedly blocked by the scrambling Utrecht rear guard, the Dutch starlet glided past three players before bending in an unstoppable drive into the top left hand corner of Ruiter’s net.

Despite Groningen’s dominance, the second stanza began optimistically for the home side and on the hour mark former Groningen player, Richairo Zivkovic found himself in space following a succession of quick fire passes on the edge of the visitor’s area and pulled Erik ten Hag’s men back into a contest that had seemed all but over just prior to the half time interval.

However, just six minutes later the contest was over as former Ajax and Fulham striker, Danny Hoesen latched onto a perfectly weighted ball from star man, Idrissi to break the home side’s offside trap and restore the visitor’s two goal advantage.

Things went from bad to worse as, with the clock winding down, Erik ten Hag’s men threw progressively more and more caution to the wind – substitute, Tom van Weert making it four at the second time of asking after Ruiter had fumbled the former Excelsior forward’s initial near post effort with ten minutes remaining before Hoesen added a fifth in stoppage time to give Ernest Faber’s men their first win of the campaign at the sixth time of asking.

Meanwhile, for Ten Hag and Utrecht, the wait for a first win of the season goes on.

Saturday’s Eredivisie action got underway at De Grolsch Veste in Enschede where FC Twente surprised their visitors from The Hague early on with Manchester City loanee, Enes Unal giving Rene Hake’s men a 13^th minute lead with a spectacular free kick from well outside the area which the Turkish striker then doubled with a neat headed finish ten minutes before half time.

Few gave Rene Hake’s side a prayer following a tumultuous summer that had seen the club demoted, seriously consider plying their trade in the lower reaches of German football and very nearly cease to exist before a successful appeal against their demotion allowed them to begin the 2016/17 campaign as an Eredivisie outfit after all. Add to that the recent departure of talismanic playmaker, Hakim Ziyech to Ajax and the odds seemed to be well and truly stacked against the Enschede outfit.

Yet, despite starting the season with two straight defeats, Twente have hit their stride – coming into this meeting with ADO Den Haag with two wins from their last three games thanks in no small part to a profitable relationship with the blue half of Manchester – Kosovar forward, Bersant Celina following fellow Manchester City loanee, Unal onto the scoresheet on 54 minutes with his second goal in as many games.

A diving header from Kevin Jansen briefly reduced the arrears with two minutes remaining for the visitors who, having initially won their first three games of the season, are now without a win in their last three and a tough evening for Zeljko Petrovic’s men was concluded when South African midfielder, Kamohelo Mokotjo put the icing on a convincing victory for Twente with the host’s fourth of the evening in the final minute – tucking in the rebound after substitute, Jari Oosterwijk’s shot had rattled the post.

Next, the action shifted to the GelreDome in Arnhem where Henk Fraser’s, Vitesse played host to a Go Ahead Eagles side buoyed by the confidence of having recorded their first win of the season at the expense of Roda the previous week.

Following a goalless first period largely dominated by the hosts, the visitor’s impressive rear guard action was undone by a lack of pace when Moroccan substitute, Adnane Tighadouini showed right back, Lars Lambooij a clean pair of heels down the left before sending in a would-be cross that referee, Jochem Kamphuis harshly adjudged to have been handled by centre half, Sander Fischer and awarded a penalty – Ricky van Wolfswinkel making no mistake from the spot.

Any thoughts of an Eagles comeback were dashed just three minutes later when another substitute – Mitchell van Bergen, got free down the right and squared for Chelsea loanee, Lewis Baker who made sure of the points by driving the ball into the top left hand corner of Theo Zwarthoed’s net from just inside the area.

At the same time, Jurgen Streppel’s Heerenveen came out on top in a bad tempered affair at the Parkstad Limburg Stadion where hosts, Roda JC saw red twice while their visitors were also reduced to ten men.

When Swede, Sam Larsson fired the visitors into an eighth minute lead with a spectacular free kick from well outside the area there was little indication of the farcical scenes that were to ensue later in the half when first, Nigerian midfielder, Abdul Ajagun was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence just five minutes after receiving his first caution by referee, Bas Nijhuis before, just nine minutes later, Chris Kum received his second booking of the match leaving the home side down to nine men and the Roda faithful irate at Nijhuis and his assistants as they left the field.

With a two-man advantage as well as being a goal to the good, it came as little surprise when Jurgen Streppel’s men made their advantage tell – Henk Veerman doubling the visitors lead from close range on 68 minutes.

However, the drama wasn’t quite over, and when Manchester City loanee, Shay Facey picked up his second booking of the match with fifteen minutes remaining the visitors were reduced to ten men.

Yet the hosts never really looked like turning the game into a contest after having been reduced to nine men at the end of the first half and, when Arber Zeneli made it three in the 77^th minute with his second goal of the season, any chances of an unlikely comeback were well and truly extinguished.

Saturday’s Eredivisie action was rounded off at the Koning Willem II Stadion in Tilburg where Willem II – winless in their last three matches, played host to Excelsior.

The hosts hit the front after only 6 minutes through a back post header from Spanish forward, Fran Sol but his strike wasn’t enough to secure all three points for Erwin van de Looi’s side – 24-year-old Moroccan, Hicham Faik earning Mitchell van der Gaag’s visitor’s a share of the spoils from a deflected free kick that deceived Willem II ‘keeper Kostas Lamprou with ten minutes remaining.

Sunday’s Eredivisie action began at Het Kasteel in Rotterdam where Sparta played host to NEC Nijmegen.

Alex Pastoor’s men have quickly acclimatised to life back in the Eredivisie following promotion last term and the home side were ahead on 17 minutes through a well-placed half volley from Thomas Verhaar.

Peter Hyballa’s visitors came into this contest on the back of two straight defeats and were looking to rediscover the early season form that saw the men from Nijmegen begin the campaign with a run of three games without defeat.

Despite losing an early goal, Hyballa’s men remained in the contest for the majority of the match until Ajax loanee, Zakaria El Azzouzi doubled the home side’s advantage from close range with 9 minutes remaining to send the newly promoted side into the UEFA Europa League playoff places.

There was little doubt as to the match of the weekend as unbeaten table toppers, Feyenoord – fresh from their stunning UEFA Europa League success over Manchester United on Thursday, put their 100% record on the line against reigning champions, PSV Eindhoven.

Despite coming into this top of the table encounter trailing their visitors by two points, Phillip Cocu’s men had the benefit of an additional two days rest following their UEFA Champions League defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening and had beaten Feyenoord in the most recent meeting between the two sides – PSV lifting the Johan Cruijff Schaal at the expense of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side on July 31^st.

Predictably, given their respective mid-week exertions, it was the hosts who enjoyed the lion’s share in terms of both possession and chances in a goalless first half – Luciano Narsingh in particular, being denied a trio of guilt-edged opportunities thanks to a combination of a resolute Feyenoord rear guard and the reflexes of Australian ‘keeper, Brad Jones.

Yet the second period proved to be more of an even contest as the visitors began to show their teeth – Tonny Vilhena – the hero of Thursday night’s victory over Manchester United being denied a penalty just after the hour mark when it appeared his goal-bound effort was handled by a diving Nicolas Isimat-Mirin. However, much to the consternation of visiting coach, van Bronckhorst, the visitor’s appeals were waved away by referee, Kevin Blom.

Nevertheless, the league leaders weren’t to be denied and when another of the stars of Feyenoord’s mid-week European heroics, Eric Botteghin saw the ball land at his feet from an 82^nd minute corner just outside the PSV box, the Brazilian centre half smashed the ball past Dutch international, Jeroen Zoet to put the visitors into the ascendancy.

Feyenoord’s Australian stopper, Brad Jones has been in excellent form since his summer arrival at De Kuip and, following a string of good saves throughout the contest, was again on hand – this time to deny a goal-bound header from Hector Moreno in the dying seconds to seal all three points for the men from Rotterdam and, in the process, a five point lead over their hosts in the Eredivisie standings.

As the final whistle sounded the jubilation was clear to see on the faces of everyone associated with the long suffering Rotterdam giants whose attention now turns to the defence of their KNVB Beker title when the cup holders entertain second tier outfit, FC Oss in the 1^st round on Thursday evening.

At the same time, bottom placed PEC Zwolle welcomed AZ Alkmaar to the MAC3PARK Stadion with Ron Jans’ struggling side hopeful of recording their first win of the season against an AZ team who could only draw at home to Irish minnows, Dundalk in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening.

However, despite their poor showing in Europe, John van den Brom’s side came into this fixture on the back of three straight league wins and hit the front shortly before half time through Wout Weghorst’s close range finish. But the visitors only made sure of all three points with three minutes remaining – 18-year-old substitute, Guus Til adding the second of the afternoon for the men from Alkmaar.

The sixth round of matches came to a conclusion at the Polman Stadion in Almelo where Ajax, fresh from an, at times, unlikely away success at Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, took on Heracles.

The hosts came into the game with no wins in their last three matches and without a home win over their visitors from Amsterdam for more than half a century. By sharp contrast, Peter Bosz and his men arrived in Almelo on the back of three straight wins in all competitions – the former Heracles boss naming an unchanged side from the one that triumphed in Greece on his return to Almelo.

Following a goalless first period, it was the visitors who, having started slowly, gradually wrestled control of the game away from the hosts before the Heracles defence misjudged a Mitchell Dijks cross from the left, allowing the ball to bounce invitingly into the path of Davy Klaassen – the Ajax skipper rolling the ball past Heracles ‘keeper, Bram Castro to put the away side a goal to the good in the 66^th minute with his fifth league goal in six games.

Any thoughts of a comeback by John Stegeman’s side were dispelled with fourteen minutes remaining when Nemanja Gudelj latched onto a through ball from goal scorer, Klaassen before curling the ball into the bottom left hand corner of Castro’s net to score his second league goal of the season and ensure that all three points were heading back to Amsterdam.

RESULTS

FC Utrecht 1-5 FC Groningen

FC Twente 4-1 ADO Den Haag

Vitesse 2-0 Go Ahead Eagles

Roda JC 0-3 SC Heerenveen

Willem II 1-1 Excelsior

Sparta Rotterdam 2-0 NEC Nijmegen

PEC Zwolle 0-2 AZ Alkmaar

PSV Eindhoven 0-1 Feyenoord

Heracles 0-2 AFC Ajax

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TEAM OF THE WEEK

Eredivisie Team Of The Week – Round 4

August 29, 2016 Will Burns Leave a comment

Here is round four of our Eredivisie Team of the Week which leads into our 2016/17 Eredivisie ‘Player of the Season’ competition. All players have performed so well this weekend that Will Burns has selected them in the team of the week. Each player in the eleven receives one point and whichever player is declared ‘Player of the Week’, he receives an extra point.

GOALKEEPER

MICKEY VAN DER HART – PEC ZWOLLE: If Zwolle did not have the former Ajax youth keeper in goal on Saturday evening, the 1-0 loss to Heerenveen could have been a lot, lot worse.

DEFENDERS

RICK KARSDORP – FEYENOORD: Excellent performance by the 21-year-old in the Rotterdam derby against Excelsior.

HECTOR MORENO – PSV: He makes our team of the week for the second week in a row. The Mexican was again a leader at the back and a threat up top.

ROBIN GOSENS – HERACLES: An first goal for the club, strong in defence with a 100% passing succession rate vs. ADO in a 1-1 draw.

RIDGECIANO HAPS – AZ ALKMAAR: Second week in a row that Haps has been selected in our TOTW. A great performance with a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over NEC.

MIDFIELDERS

HAKIM ZIYECH – FC TWENTE: Linked with a move away from Enschede and he notched two goals in possibly his last game in the Twente shirt.

DAVY KLAASSEN – AJAX: Davy lands our Player of the Week award leading Ajax to a much needed win over Go Ahead with two goals.

NEMANJA GUDELJ – AJAX: Scorer of a wonderful free-kick in the 3-0 away victory against Go Ahead.

ATTACKERS

STEVEN BERGHUIS – FEYENOORD: A commanding performance with an assist in the 4-1 win over Excelsior on his first start for Feyenoord.

DIRK KUYT – FEYENOORD: Notched a brace in the four goal turnaround against Excelsior.

FRED FRIDAY – AZ ALKMAAR: The Nigerian striker would have bagged his first goal this weekend but was ruled offside. Despite that, he played an important part in the 2-0 victory over NEC.

Click here to see the ‘Player of the Season’ standings.

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REPORT

Pressure on Bosz as Ajax fall in Russia

August 26, 2016 Will Burns Leave a comment

Four-time European Cup winners, Ajax failed to advance to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the second year in succession after being humiliated in remarkable fashion by Russian underdogs, FC Rostov reports Steven Davies.

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUALIFYING PLAYOFF – SECOND LEG

FC ROSTOV 4-1 AJAX

Following a calamitous home defeat at the hands of Willem II in which most of the Ajax backline was culpable, under fire coach, Peter Bosz shuffled his defence for a second leg that, according to many in the Dutch media, carried with it more than just qualification for the group stages of European club football’s richest prize.

The most surprising selection came between the posts for the visitors where, despite a big money switch to Barcelona being in the offing, Dutch international ‘keeper, Jasper Cillessen returned at the expense of Andre Onana – the 20-year-old stopper having made his first team debut against Willem II on Saturday. Meanwhile, a series of high profile errors in the same game resulted in Columbian centre half, Davinson Sanchez being dropped and Dutch international, Joel Veltman reverting to centre half with both Kenny Tete and Nick Viergever filling the full back roles as the injured Mitchell Dijks was also ruled out.

Having come back from the brink of bankruptcy while also surviving a relegation playoff fifteen months previously to the verge of not only winning the Russian league title last term but now reaching the group stages of the UEFA Champions League, FC Rostov entered the second leg of the tie with the Amsterdam giants holding a slight advantage by virtue of Ecuadorian international, Christian Noboa’s away goal in the 1-1 draw at the Amsterdam ArenA just over a week ago.

A solid defence had been the bedrock of the unfancied Russian outfit’s success under previous coach, Kurban Berdyev and Rostov’s caretaker coach, Dmitri Kirichenko, having continued with his predecessor’s defensive philosophy in Amsterdam, appeared intent on strangling the tie here as well.

Yet, despite their defensive stance it was the Russians who came out of the blocks the quicker with the first clean cut opportunity of the game falling to Aleksandr Erokhin who, having latched onto a through ball, out muscled Jairo Riedewald before being denied by Cillessen – who stayed tall to deny the striker with 9 minutes gone.

Ajax did rouse from their slumber shortly thereafter as Chelsea loanee, Bertrand Traore lifted an effort over the bar from the edge of the six yard box after Nemanja Gudelj had seen his shot charged down with 19 minutes on the clock.

Rostov however, would continue to take it to their illustrious visitors and when Iranian, Sardar Azmoun latched onto a cross from the right with a towering header, Jasper Cillessen was left rooted to the spot as the Russians took the tie by the scruff of the neck going into the half time interval.

Any thought of an Ajax comeback was dashed within minutes of the resumption of play as a free kick from Timofei Kalachev was met by Erokhin who made no mistake with a close range header that put the Russians 2-0 up on the night and 3-1 up on aggregate after 52 minutes.

But, if Peter Bosz entered the game under pressure, what followed would have set alarm bells ringing at De Toekomst.

Eight minutes later, a game of ping pong in the Ajax area eventually saw the ball land at the feet of Ecuadorian, Noboa who – having opened the scoring in the tie just over a week ago in Amsterdam – stabbed the ball past a helpless Cillessen from close range to effectively seal the tie with half an hour remaining.

But a humiliating night was to get even worse for the former European powerhouse, when, six minutes later, an Ajax attack broke down and turned into a swift Rostov counter attack with Erokhin beating a number of Ajax players before putting in Dmitriy Poloz who beat the Ajax offside trap before calmly rounding Cillessen to make it 4-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.

Ajax offered little by way of resistance throughout the contest – often being caught in possession and creating few real goal scoring opportunities.

Having drug his side through recent indifferent performances, Ajax skipper, Davy Klaassen was as anonymous as the rest of his team mates on a miserable night for de Godenzonen but did manage to get the Dutch side on the scoresheet from the penalty spot after substitute, Kasper Dolberg was brought down in the Rostov area by Fyodor Kudryashov – who was then shown the red card with seven minutes remaining.

However, it proved little more than a consolation for Peter Bosz whose position as Ajax coach is becoming increasingly untenable as the four time European Cup winners – already playing catch up in the Eredivisie standings – were embarrassingly dumped out of qualifying for European club football’s richest prize for a second year in succession.

Man of the Match: Bertrand Traore

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UEFA Europa League Play-off 2nd leg

Rosenborg BK 3-2 AFC Ajax

(Rosenborg win 4-2 on aggregate)

Lerkendal Stadion

Thursday 24th August 2017

UEFA Europa League Play-off 1st leg

AFC Ajax 0-1 Rosenborg BK

Johan Cruijff ArenA

Thursday 17th August 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – SEMI-FINALS – FIRST LEG

AJAX 4-1 LYON

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALS – SECOND LEG

SCHALKE 3-2 AJAX

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALS – FIRST LEG

AJAX 2-0 SCHALKE

THURSDAY 9TH MARCH 2017

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 16 – FIRST LEG

FC COPENHAGEN 2-1 AJAX

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 32 – FIRST LEG

AJAX 1-0 LEGIA WARSAW

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND OF 32 – FIRST LEG

LEGIA WARSAW 0-0 AJAX

THURSDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – GROUP G

AJAX 1-0 STANDARD LIEGE

RESULTS

GOALKEEPER

DEFENDERS

MIDFIELDERS

ATTACKERS

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUALIFYING PLAYOFF – SECOND LEG

FC ROSTOV 4-1 AJAX

UEFA Europa League Play-off 2^nd leg

Thursday 24^th August 2017

UEFA Europa League Play-off 1^st leg

Thursday 17^th August 2017