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Special Report: Oranje beat Ajax reserves in training game: 3-0

16 May: The Amstel Cup final against FC Utrecht was not quite the last Ajax game of the season. On Wednesday, a team of Ajax reserves played a 50-minute training game against Dick Advocaat's Oranje selection. The game was played behind closed doors at Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium. Oranje won easily: 3-0.

For the Dutch national team, the game against Ajax (or rather: what was left of it) was a warm-up game for this Sunday's friendly in Foxboro, Massachusetts, against the United States.

For Ajax, the game was not as significant. Players such as Chivu, Bergdølmo, O'Brien, Trabelsi, Galásek, Maxwell, Zlatan and Mido played for their respective national teams, or had already started their well-deserved vacations. Fred Grim, Cristian Chivu and Jan van Halst are still in Amsterdam, but got to enjoy the game sitting on a chair in the sun.

Andy van der Meyde making an "unofficial" debut for Oranje against his own club. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

The only Ajacied on the pitch who played the Amstel Cup final on Sunday was Andy van der Meyde. He was not playing for his club this time, but for Oranje, although the 'orange' wore their blue away jerseys today. What did it feel like to play his first unofficial Holland game against Ajax? "Kinda funny," Van der Meyde said.

The Ajax team consisted of reserves and players coming back from injuries, as well as two players on trial from Belgian 'satellite club' Germinal Beerschot Antwerp: striker Paul Kpaka and left winger Kristof Snelders.

The weather was absolutely perfect in the beautifully restored Olympic Stadium in classy Amsterdam-South. No spectators were allowed inside the stadium, but of course an exception was made for a small group of coaches participating in the Professional Football Coaching course of the KNVB, including Marco van Basten.

Rafael van der Vaart made his return to competitive play in the closed-door match at Olympic Stadium. [Photo: Ajax.nl]

Ajax started well, as Rafaël van der Vaart hit the cross-bar above goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus' head, with a stylish free-kick. After that, Holland easily won the game. Phillip Cocu scored in the first half at 25 minutes; Roy Makaay and - once again - Phillip Cocu made it 3-0.

The following players were used by Ajax: Didulica, Vierklau, De Cler, Pasanen, Van Damme, Yakubu, Wamberto, Seedorf, Van der Vaart, Bechan, Cruz, Kpaka and Snelders. The players used by Holland included Waterreus, Numan, Ooijer, Cocu, Van der Meyde, Sikora, Van Hooijdonk, Zenden and Makaay.

Unfortunately for American Ajax and Oranje fans, the list of injured Dutchmen is still growing longer. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and midfielder Ronald de Boer are no longer available for this weekend's game.

Dick Advocaat will also have to miss out on three of his strikers: Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jimmy 'Floyd' Hasselbaink and - since Wednesday - Patrick Kluivert. Feyenoord midfielder Paul Bosvelt will travel to the U.S. in his place. Today, winger Marc Overmars was added to the absentee's list. He's been struggling with a persistent injury for months and has decided to undergo surgery.

United Stated vs The Netherlands will be played on Sunday, 19 May at 2:00 PM Eastern time, at the CMGI Field in Foxboro, MA. American television network ABC will broadcast the game live on the East coast, and same-day-delayed on the West coast at 3:00PM Pacific. (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl and KNVB.nl)