Tough job too much to ask
http://english.ajax.nl/show/id=118083/contentid=43725
Tough job too much to ask
Amsterdam, September 27, 2005
Playing Arsenal with a decimated squad is no easy task; conceding a goal
fater a mere 80 seconds, means a very tough job. It was too much to ask for the
again new line-up in which Ajax had to play. Ajax lost their seond match in
the Champions League, 1-2.
Ajax had to play against the favourite in the group without Hedwiges Maduro,
Wesley Sneijder, Hatem Trabelsi and Mauro Rosales; they all had to take place
on the terraces with physical ailments.
With Thomas Vermaelen as central defender, Nigel de Jong who had just passed
his fitness test as right back, Ryan Babel on the right wing and Nourdin
Boukhari on the left, Ajax had a team practically built up of last-minute
solutions. It wouldn't be easy to beat Arsenal in the first place, even if
they were playing without the injured Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp and
the suspended Robin van Persie.
An error by Urby Emanuelson made it even more difficult, when the left defender
's pass was intercepted by Alexander Hleb who found Fredrik Ljungberg. The
Swede scored after a mere 80 seconds: 0-1.
Steven Pienaar could have equalised right before halftime but the South-African
missed before an almost empty goal.
In the second half Ajax also had chances to come alongside, but Babel (the
goalkeeper boxed it away) and Markus Rosenberg (too late with his effort) left
chances unused. Rosenberg had come on for Angelos Charisteas, who suffered a
head wound after colliding with Kolo Tour?
As if things weren't difficult enough, Ajax had to cope with a crucial mistake
by the referee. Reyes broke through, halfway the second half, and only Hans
Vonk could stop it. The goalkeeper came late, but withdrew his hands when there
would have been contact with the Arsenal forward. Reyes went to the ground and
saw his intentions rewarded. Referee Lu疄 Medina Cantalejo awarded Arsenal a
penalty on advice by his linesman. Robert Pir鋊 converted the penalty kick.
Two minutes later, Ajax seemed to pull off a stunt. Tom嫳 Gal嫳ek saw his shot
end up on the post, after which Rosenberg reacted on time: 1-2. Babel could
have provided justice, but his shot didn't go on goal but toward the second
tier of the stadium.
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