Sunday, August 19, 2007

de graafschap 1 ajax 8

even though i felt that we have taken a few steps back with the players we have signed in recent seasons such as gabri, lindenbergh, juergen collin, rommedahl, i must say suarez is a very good buy. an instant replacement for ryan babel. maybe even better.

on his debut today, he combined with huntelaar to produce ajax's first two goals. a cross after some twisting found huntelaar, who headed the ball in to produce ajax's first goal of the season. his pass found huntelaar in the box, who backheeled it back into his path, and he curled it against the post for his first ever ajax goal.

and then in the second half, he drew two defenders away before slipping the ball into maduro's path, who slotted it into the far corner. then he broke into the penalty box, held off a challenge and crossed the ball to the far post for maduro to head for ajax's fourth and his second.

and then their leftback chested the ball into kennedy's path, who needed no second invitation to get into the box to tuck it away. then kennedy directed a pass into the substitute delorge's path, whose cross found huntelaar for huntelaar's second.

the versatility of the players was also good, considering that when delorge came on for vermaelen, collin shifted to centreback and gabri went to right back. den when rommedahl came on for urby, maduro went to left back and i think kennedy went to centre mid.

what was disappointing was that we didnt keep the cleansheet.

and then maduro broke away after a graafschap corner. his surging run from his own half culminated in a pass to huntelaar who laid the ball into suarez's path. suarez was rounding the keeper when the defender had no choice but to bring him down. huntelaar's very cool penalty gave him his hattrick. that was in the 88th or 89th minute.

but it wasn't over. in injury time, the centreback failed to head clear, rommedahl volleyed the ball to the far post, huntelaar leapt high and headed it. the keeper palmed it out, but it had already crossed the line.

ajax 8, de graafschap 1. huntelaar 4, maduro 2, suarez 1, kennedy 1.

very very routine. but remember heerenveen is much tougher than that, even at the Arena. and we must beat slavia prague by clear goals in prague to go to the group stages. we cannot live with another season of uefa cup football.

but i feel sorry for de graafschap. it was a footballing lesson. 1-8 at home isn't very nice.

i like this ajax attack: huntelaar the proven, all-rounded centre forward, kennedy, the shrewd, cultured magician, and suarez the flamboyant winger. well, it is always nice to have south american flair in your attack.

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