Non-performance just enough against Kozakken Boys
| 1 (0) |
1 (0) |
| 1-2 A.E.T. |
KNVB Cup
Sportpark De Zwaaier, Werkendam
Wednesday, 26 Sep 2007
|
Henk ten Cate's comments after Kozakken Boys vs Ajax summed it all up. Ajax advanced to the third round of the KNVB Cup, but don't ask how. The Amsterdammers embarrassed themselves at De Zwaaier sports ground in the town of Werkendam, home of Kozakken Boys, currently 9th in their division of the Hoofdklasse ('Top Class') of Dutch amateur football.
Every word wasted on this match is one too many, so let's keep it short...
Henk ten Cate had given Maarten Stekelenburg the night off and kept Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on the bench. Goalkeeper Erik Heijblok (official Ajax-1 début!) and Ismael Urzaiz played from the start. Young Ajax's Siem de Jong also made his first team début in the second half (and was literally the only Ajacied who seemed interested).
Ajax took the lead (foul on Urzaiz; penalty converted by John Heitinga), but were almost continuously asking for trouble. The aloof visitors didn't even try to play football and paid the penalty for it when substitute Willem Looijen fired through Heijblok's legs for the home side's equalizer. That was in the 88th minute. Final score: 1-1. Extra time. Oh, the disgrace.
Substitute Dennis Rommedahl's winning goal, in the 104th minute, was typical for the way in which Ajax beat their opposition today: his shot wasn't even on target, but took a deflection and landed in the net behind goalkeeper Abdelaziz. 1-2 Ajax. Hurrah.
The next morning, at the Amsterdam ArenA, Henk ten Cate ordered his players to leave their soccer boots in their bags and to put on their running shoes instead. He let them run for a full hour, non-stop. After 'training' he announced that the players will pay the match tickets for the next round for the 400 Ajax supporters who made their way to Werkendam and were forced to watch the show from the away end.
Believe us: that's all you want to know. Let's forget about this one as soon as possible, shall we? (Menno Pot)
Goals:
- 26' 0-1 John Heitinga (penalty)
- 88' 1-1 Willem Looijen
- 104' 1-2 Dennis Rommedahl
Referee: Wegereef
Yellow Cards: Boonstoppel, Samuel (Kozakken Boys)
Attendance: 5,000
Lineups:
- Ajax line-up: Heijblok; Ogararu, Van der Wiel, Emanuelson; Gabri (46. Donald), Heitinga, Maduro, Vertonghen (80. De Jong); Suárez, Urzaiz (68. Rommedahl), Luque.
- line-up: Abdelaziz; Boonstoppel (63. Binnerts), Den Braber, Kolff, Koswal (58. Looijen); Lock, Samuel, Sas, Scheimann; Solmaz (77. Dominicus), Zimmerman.
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