Tag: AZ Alkmaar

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[1209] Of Ajax win KNVB Cup after 16 penalties

The Eredivisie ended in a dramatic way but Ajax lost.

The KNVB Cup ended dramatically too but Ajax won only after 16 penalties:

On 22 May 1996 Edgar Davids missed a penalty for Ajax in Rome – and it wasn’t an unimportant one: Ajax’s first in the shoot-out of the Champions League final against Juventus in Rome. Ajax lost the shoot-out: 2-4. Davids’ miss marked the start of Ajax’s 2-4 collapse. The ‘pitbull’ of Louis van Gaal’s golden Ajax team knew that he would leave Ajax for AC Milan that summer and would have given his left arm for a more succesful last ball contact as an Ajacied…

Almost eleven years later, on 06 May 2007, Edgar Davids once again stepped forward for a penalty. This time it wasn’t Rome but Rotterdam. This time the goalkeeper wasn’t Juventus’ Angelo Peruzzi but AZ’s Khalid Sinouh. This time it wasn’t the first, but the 16th and possibly last of the shoot-out. This time Louis van Gaal wasn’t Davids’ coach, but his opponent. And… this time Edgar Davids didn’t fail: he made it 7-8, just after AZ defender Ryan Donk had missed the 15th in a long series of 16 near-perfect spotkicks, and gave Ajax their 17th Dutch cup in club history. “This feels like a new beginning,” the Ajax veteran said after official ceremony on the pitch of De Kuip. [Ajax claim KNVB Cup after 120 minutes and 16 penalties. AjaxUSA. May 7 2007]

Poor AZ. Poor Van Gaal. Sincerely. I would rather have AZ won the Eredivisie instead of PSV. But do enjoy the victory, humbly:

Enjoy the Cup.

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[1185] Of it ain’t over yet in the Eredivisie

I might be wrong but this must be the tightest season in recent history. Or ever. With one more game to go, three teams mathematically have the chance to be the next kampioen of the Eredivisie. It is all down to PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord.

Wait, not Feyenoord! No! It is AZ Alkmaar!

How close it is right now?

Copyrights by ESPN Soccernet. Fair use.

This situation is made possible through the simultaneous win of Ajax and AZ over their respective opponent while PSV pulled down by Utrecht.

Ajax had their chance to top the table but just like how Chelsea squandered their chance earlier this evening, Ajax were unable to capitalize on the fever PSV had a few weeks ago.

Though Ajax could claim the title, I doubt trophy would go to Amsterdam this year. In my opinion, AZ would win the title. If AZ manage only a draw next week, the odd would favor Ajax because of the superior goal difference. At the moment, AZ have 6 more goals than Ajax.

But fret not for Ajax is in the final round of the Cup game against AZ. One silverware to win.

One interesting possibility: all three teams could end up with 75 points at the end of the season, with the same goal difference. How cool would that be?

And heh, the folks from Rotterdam are doing so badly this season that I always almost feel pity for them each time I look at the Eredivisie of table.

Anyway, let us savor Ajax’s 5-2 victory over Sparta.

First goal by Sneijder in the 9th minute. 1-0:

Sneijder again in the 17th minute. 2-0:

The Hunter in four minutes later. 3-0:

Krohn-Deli, an Ajacied on loan to Sparta, assisted Bouaouzan. By the 37th minute, 3-1:

Krohn-Deli assisted another goal. This time scored by Freire. In the 47th, 3-2:

Too close, but Perez made some space for Ajax in the 76th minute. 4-2:

Mitea completed the demolition in the 82th minute. 5-2:

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[1111] Of let us buy referees instead of top players

On Sunday, second-placed ten-men Ajax was held to a 1-1 draw with third-placed AZ. I have not seen the goals yet but AZ’s equalizer is controversial. Too controversial.

At Ajaxtalk:

Fucking corrupt match officials ….. what a load of cunts these Dutch officials are. That was a clear foul on Stek.

edit: It’s time Ajax has the nerve to go to the KNVB and tell those sad fuckers they are not going to put up with this crap anymore.

More:

Let’s stop investing huge amounts of money on top players : learn from our friends from northern Italy and buy referees.

Amen.

PSV is now eight points clear of Ajax. Fourth-placed Twente, conveniently for both Ajax and AZ, was held to a scoreless draw.

With only eight more matches, this is going to be tough.

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[1078] Of PSV 2 – 3 AZ

All hail to AZ Alkmaar!

AMSTERDAM, Feb 3 (Reuters) – AZ Alkmaar opened up the Dutch title race as striker Danny Koevermans scored a late goal to seal a stunning 3-2 win at leaders PSV Eindhoven on Saturday.

PSV, who suffered their first home defeat since December 2004, remain top with 56 points from 23 matches but are now only six points ahead of second-placed Alkmaar.

Ajax meets Feyenoord later today and this is a great chance for Ajax to cut down the current 8-point gap between Ajax and PSV.

The problem of course is that AZ is too close to Ajax. Ajax will need to win at Amsterdam today if the team is to retain its 1-point lead over AZ.

The Eredivisie is not over yet.