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Ajax: September 2009
Hello everyone and welcome back to my Ajax update.
We were finally back in action after another international break and had a home game against NAC Breda. Our early assault on the visitor’s goal paid off after only 10 minutes when De Zeeuw found Pantelic in the box and he controlled the pass beautifully and swept the ball into the net. Further pressure failed to paid off though my young Korean striker Suk had a couple of good chances. Nac Breda came close only once but Steklenberg between the sticks was more than man enough for the job. Not a memorable game but another three points acquired.
The following game was a trip to Norway to face Rosenborg in the Euro Cup. The home side took the lead just after the half our when a seemingly half hearted cross was dropped by Stekenlenberg onto the foot of Dahlgren for the easiest goal he will ever score. It was a frustrating evening for us as nothing was going right in the final third of the pitch and when all looked lost Gabri was brought down in the box and Lodeiro slotted home the penalty kick three minutes from time. I was going to be happy with a draw but once again Suarez produced a bit of magic by intercepting a Rosenborg clearance, beating two defenders and firing home the winner. A lucky win for sure.
Next up was an away game in the Dutch Cup 2nd Round to non league side Zwaluwen. I changed a few my starting eleven players but nothing too drastic as that can back fire in cup competitions. We opened the scoring inside 10 minutes when my Korean striker Suk went on a lovely little run from midfield and placed the ball into the corner of the net. Zwaluwen were not to be deterred by the early set back and kept us on the back foot for most of the first half forcing me to make a tactical change at half time. We came out looking much stronger with Pantelic doubling the lead with a glancing header from a Nacer Barazite cross. Pantellic would get his second 5 minutes from time with a well placed shot set up by Suarez who came on for Suk. We were through to the next round where we will meet Go Ahead.
The final game of the month was back in Amsterdam against Den Haag. Marko Pantelic gave us an early lead having been left totally unmarked in the box from a quickly taken free kick by Lodeiro. Suarez made it two some twenty minutes later by firing in a spectacular volley from an Eduardo cross. An own goal from a corner made it three but just before the half time whistle Eduardo produced a well placed pass into the path of De Zeeuw who unleashed a 25 yard pile-driver that flew into the back of the net. After the interval Pantelic got his second of the game heading in from an Eduardo cross who was having a marvelous match and it was Eduardo again who was instrumental in completing the rout spotting defender Oleguer unmarked at the edge of the box from a corner kick and he neatly placed the ball into the bottom corner of the net for goal number six.
So we went through the month unbeaten and only conceded one goal albeit a sloppy one at that. In the league we are in second place but have a game in hand.
Current League Standings:
Results at a glance…
Next month we have far more games including two Euro Cup matches with a difficult away tie against Lazio.
Well that’s all for now and thanks for reading.