Entry of:07-11-99
Ajax this week:
One hour later than scheduled, because of the risk that Ajaxfans would meet Feyenoordfans on the road, the game between Sparta and Ajax started on this rainy sunday. And Ajax did have the disgrace of loosing to Hapoel fresh in their memories, but the squad is broken, a lot of injuries create another basic 11 each match these days. And if those days are there Ajax will need a little luck to win and that is just what they got against Sparta. After half an hour of the game that was not dominated by either of the squads, Verlaat scored with a header in the 33rd minute. It was kind of flattered but not undeserved. That was the only real interesting thing before halftime, but the action after the break was there with a nice pace of Gronkjaer at the leftside and his pass was changed direction by Sparta defender Marilia in the 59th minute, 0-2 for Ajax. But what was to be expected when you see the name of Luinge as the referee (see previous weeks) came true, he had to proove his uncapability again, Kanu was victim and was sent off with the red card! But oh oh oh, what immense blundering and reckless fooling by Grim caused that foul by Kanu, who had to correct seriously.And ElKhattabi did not have any troubles with that, the penalty went in easily in the 64th minute. With 10 players and another 25 minutes to go, Ajax had some narrow escapes and scary times but they pulled through. In the 68th minute Mokoena had his debute for the Ajax squad and for yours truely it gets a little hard to keep track of all the squadnumbers. Have to puzzle the number of Mokoena out.Ajax showed to be a team in trouble but have some more matches to come to regain confidence.
Ajax next week: FC Utrecht at home does not seem to be too difficult but Ajax is frail, very frail, but the same can be said for FC Utrecht. Let's hope Ajax can get a win out of it on character, hopefully with a good score, with Laudrup and Gronkjaer playing like they can, and Machlas and Knopper scoring again. Chances on a win are 70%.
Note for Ajax: 6
Rest of the competition:
A delightful weekend. Just when you think Ajax has lost the connection with PSV they are so kind to wait up for Ajax with disastrous play in Nijmegen. This was an away match for PSV against NEC still from the 5th weekend and the number last of the table overclassed the leader of the table, 2-1, with v.Nistelrooy taking care of his 19th goal. Feyenoord did get a very undeserved point in Enschede where they played their awaymatch against FC Twente, it ended in 3-3 and a Twente squad of 10 players, a score of Somalia in possibly the 100th minute, putting the 3-3 on the board for Feyenoord. Still Feyenoord is 9th and that pleases a lot of people very much.
For the rest we had Heerenveen playing on wednesday and winning very decided from NEC, a 4-0 in Nijmegen. Willem II and Roda JC also won to remain in close contact with the top. Willem II beat de Graafschap away with 0-2 and Roda JC got their win at home against Den Bosch,3-0.
RKC also won with 3-2 from Cambuur L and are still above Feyenoord, great work guys!
AZ beat MVV in a thrilling awaymatch with 3-4, the last goal also way in extra time,and FC Utrecht, Ajax next opponent won with 2-1 from Fortuna S on friday at home. Utrecht is now in 11th place and there is a big gap of 9 points allready to Sparta in 12th place.
Note for the competition: 7
Moment of the week:
Several things made me wonder. Why do people call referees the most terrible names? But on the other hand, why are people like Luinge allowed to be a referee? Both sides, referees and fans go too far. So why don't the referees stop judging bad to stop the scandalous namecalling?
Smile on my face, PSV forgot their clothes and had to play in the awayshirts of NEC. And in a program of Studio Sport trainer Jimmy Calderwood of NEC really seemed a good guy in my eyes, a coach all the way, great, wish they were more like him!!
Willem ter Haar
(Thanking the little angel for the luck against Sparta and pins Luinges photo on his dartboard)
AJAX-index