KJH gives Ajax the cup (putting board in awkward position...)
2 (0) - 1
(0)
Gatorade Cup - Final
De Kuip, Rotterdam
Sunday, 07 May, 2006
The Ajax officials on the VIP terrace of De
Kuip knew beforehand that the TV cameras would immediately
zoom in on them if Ajax would beat PSV and clinch the
Gatorade Cup. Therefore, technical director Martin van
Geel and chairman John Jaakke smiled and applauded as
naturally as possible when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (who else?)
forced his former club to their knees in the very last
minute of the cup final: 2-1.
The Ajax 'suits' must have felt a bit awkward, though.
Pretty much everyone (including the
victim himself) expects the club to replace
head-coach Danny Blind with Henk ten Cate. But Blind
finished the campaign with a whopping 7-2 win on aggregate over
rivals Feyenoord and grabbed an admission ticket to
the Champions League qualifiers.
Celebrate! Ajax players and staff
with the Cup. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
In Rotterdam, on the last day of the
2005-2006 season, Blind showed the Dutch Cup to the
ecstatic fans. The players carried him on
their shoulders. The fans chanted his name, making
quite clear that - if it were up to them - "Blind must stay"
and Jaakke must "f**k off".
SBS6, the TV station that televised the final in The
Netherlands, added fuel to the flames by announcing immediately
after the game that "Ajax board members" had confirmed that Ten
Cate officially signed his contract.
Ajax denied. SBS6 apologized.
As we said: a bit awkward.
It is a fact that Ajax's 2005-2006 campaign was a
nightmare and that the quality of their football was way
below par. It is also a fact, however, that the
Amsterdammers finish the season with two pieces of
silverware (the Johan Cruyff Shield and the Gatorade Cup, both
grabbed after 2-1 victories over PSV) and -
technically - the second slot in the
Eredivisie.
The Gatorade Cup final of 2006 was already interesting
before kick-off. It was a game between a team
that didn't play a game since 16 April and a team
that played the four most important games of the
year after 16 April - and resurrected in remarkable
fashion. What was going to be more of an advantage:
PSV's fitness or Ajax's 'flow'? Another thought: PSV
always do well against Ajax, but Ajax always do
well at De Kuip and, moreover, never seem to
lose a cup final. The last time was in 1983
(against NEC in two legs). In the 23 years that
followed Ajax played six Dutch cup finals - and
always won.
Boakye - from Ajax 2 to the Cup
Final. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
De Kuip wasn't full, but very, very atmospheric, hours
before the game. 12,000 Ajax fans and 7,000 PSV fans made the
trip, hoping that their teams would win the trophy for
their respective departing head-coaches. Wesley Sneijder
returned to Ajax's starting eleven (replacing Olaf
Lindenbergh), Hedwiges Maduro was fit enough to be on
the bench and Steven Pienaar was eligible again after a
suspension, but the Amsterdammers were still without
Trabelsi, Grygera and Rosales. PSV, meanwhile, had to do
without their Brazilian giant, Alex, and surprisingly started
with DaMarcus Beasley - and not Arouna Koné.
The start was cautious. There were a few 'half' chances
at both ends and the game was in almost perfect balance,
although PSV were slightly more threatening.
Sneijder, Huntelaar and Rosenberg had shooting chances. So did
Afellay at the other end. Emmanuel Boakye had to assist
Maarten Stekelenburg by whacking a Michael Lamey header out of
the goalmouth.
The deadlock was broken less than three minutes into the
second half. On a corner kick from Wesley Sneijder,
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's header at the near post
slammed into the net like a cannonball (48'). And
bang: the fat was in the fire, even though the score was level
only six minutes later, when (former Ajax man) Michael Lamey's
stunning diagonal volley slammed into the top corner. Maarten
Stekelenburg could only hear the ball whizz by: 1-1
(55').
The two goals made Ajax vs PSV 'explode'. What followed was
a thoroughly entertaining battle between two teams that
absolutely wanted to win. PSV increased the pressure by
bringing an extra striker (Arouna Koné) for a
midfielder (Ibrahim Afellay). Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
attempted to beat Stekelenburg with a bicycle-kick.
The 64th minute seemed to be the turning point: in his
very last game for Ajax Tomás Galásek received
his second yellow card after a foul in midfield. What a sad way
for the Czech to end his Ajax career... Ajax were down to ten,
but didn't bow their heads. Blind replaced Angelos Charisteas
with a midfielder (Maduro). Huntelaar and Ryan Babel (who had
replaced an injured Markus Rosenberg at half-time) were now
Ajax's two strikers. Both played very well, especially because
Ajax's superb man of the match (Wesley Sneijder) played
directly behind them. Sneijder's forward drive was
impressive. What a return to form. In the back
Vermaelen, Heitinga and Boakye battled as if was
there last day on earth.
Sent off, never to return...
[Photo: Ajax.nl]
The turning point of the game wasn't the dismissal of
Galásek, but that of Michael Lamey, who also picked up
a second yellow (71'). 1-1 and 10 vs 10. From
that moment on, the clearly dominant team was
Ajax. Ryan Babel's solo runs became increasingly
threatening, Nourdin Boukhari almost scored after a stylish
slalom through PSV's defense and referee Pieter Vink could have
awarded a penalty in the 74th minute, when Emmanuel
Boakye showed up in front of goalkeeper Gomes.
André Ooijer came to rescue, wildly whacking the
ball away, almost decapitating Boakye.
Ajax vs PSV was a game in balance. The decisive
goal could have gone in at either end until the very last
minute. However, just like a PSV goal seemed a little bit
closer in the first half, it felt in the dying
minutes as if Ajax were closer to a late
winner (if only because it wouldn't be the first time
this season...).
And indeed, they pulled it off again: the Ajax end of
De Kuip exploded with joy in stoppage time, when
Nourdin Boukhari's cross came in, Michael Ball didn't
exactly look great and Ajax's supreme 'sniper', Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar, dashed forward like a bird of prey,
tapping the ball home via the inside of the post: 2-1
(90+1').
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar... Where would Ajax have been without
him? Not in the play-offs and not in the cup final. He netted
16 times in 17 Eredivisie games, once in two
Champions League games, twice in four play-off
matches and four times in only three Gatorade
Cup games (including two in stoppage time)... 23 goals in 26
appearances. In half a season. Absolutely no-one is
talking about his transfer fee of 9 million euros anymore.
Ironically, if Martin van Geel had not landed 'The
Hunter' the upcoming weeks would have been a lot easier for
him. Huntelaar almost singlehandedly brought the Ajax
board into a pretty awkward position...
'The Hunter' does in PSV at the
death. [Photo: Ajax.nl]
The party could start. Holland boss Marco van Basten
presented the Gatorade Cup to... Tomás
Galásek, who had pulled his Ajax uniform back on to lift
his first trophy as Ajax's team captain. "Red card? I've
already forgotten about that, to be honest," Galásek
chuckled, while Urby Emanuelson praised one team-mate in
particular: "This guy made the difference. He's always one step
ahead of his opponent. After these two goals I can say
only one thing: hats off to Klaas."
Nourdin Boukhari sang a song into the huge TV
microphones behind the goal. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar did
a hilarious impersonation of a flasher with the green
robe Gatorade had given every player. Juanfran
climbed onto the cross-bar and took loads of pictures
of the Ajax end and his soon-to-be
former team-mates. Galásek took a deep bow to
his fans. And Danny Blind? He smiled. And probably didn't know
what to think.
On Monday evening, at approximately 19:45 CET, Ajax will
celebrate their cup triumph at the balcony of the
Stadsschouwburg ('City Theatre') in Leidseplein.
The season will end at Leidseplein after all...
The 2005-2006 season is over. Or actually: it
ain't over yet - and we're not talking about the two
unimportant post-season friendlies that are still on the
agenda. There will be more big Ajax news this month,
that's for sure. If there's no excitement on the
pitch of the Amsterdam ArenA, there's at least
always something going on in the corridors... (MP)
GOALS
- 48' 1-0 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
- 55' 1-1 Michael Lamey
- 90' 2-1 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Referee: Vink
Yellow cards: Huntelaar, Sneijder,
Vermaelen (Ajax), Ball (PSV)
Red cards: Galásek (Ajax, 'double
yellow', 64'), Lamey (PSV, 'double yellow', 71')
Attendance: 30,776
Ajax line-up: Stekelenburg; Boakye,
Heitinga, Vermaelen, Emanuelson; Galásek, Sneijder,
Boukhari; Charisteas (65. Maduro), Huntelaar, Rosenberg (46.
Babel).
PSV line-up: Gomes; Lamey,
Ooijer, Addo, Ball; Afellay (59. Koné), Simons, Cocu;
Farfán, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Beasley.
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