AZ Again

AZ Alkmaar knocked Ajax Amsterdam out of the Dutch KNVB Beker last year.

And they managed an impressive feat against the most famous team from Holland this year, too. That, despite the fact that they are no longer a team that can challenge for the title, as they were a short while ago.

Ajax took the lead twice, once in the 21st minute, and then again in the 59th minute.
But AZ pulled level twice, too, and got the lead for good in the 74th minute, after a brilliant long pass was finalized spectacularly by Viktor Elm, who gave goalkeeper Vermeer no chance by volleying the ball at high speed.

Ajax is now 3 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven (who got two wins out of two, along with 3 other teams).
But they're doing way better than Feyenoord Rotterdam, the third biggest team in Netherlands, who lost both matches thus far, including a 1-4 shocking loss against Twente Enchede.

Highlights:

Netherlands - UEFA Club Competitions Participants - 2013-2014

Ajax Amsterdam --> Champions League Group Stage
PSV Eindhoven --> Champions League Third Qualifying Round
Feyenoord Rotterdam --> Europa League Play-off Round
Vitesse Arnhem --> Europa League Third Qualifying Round
FC Utrecht --> Europa League Second Qualifying Round
AZ Alkmaar --> Europa League Play-off Round

Note: FC Utrecht won the internal Europa League play-off competition, against Twente Enschede, FC Groningen and SC Heerenveen.

It's over in the Netherlands

This was a dark day for most title contenders in Holland.

Especially for PSV, whose fans certainly felt anger, shame, despair and maybe even hate towards their own club today.

Ajax Amsterdam, the team that sucked so much this year, took a practically unassailable lead that was facilitated by PSV Eindhoven's own inability to win the huge home derby.

Also, Vitesse Arnhem and Feyenoord Rotterdam, the other two title challengers, stumbled after being in the lead for considerable lengths of time, in their own matches, both of them away from home. Vitesse led 3-0 at Roda Kerkrade, but had to settle for a tie, while Feyenoord was leading 1-0 at half-time at Waalwijk but ended up with only one point, too.

So, I guess it's over in the Eredivisie.

Netherlands - UEFA Club Competitions Participants - 2012-2013

Ajax Amsterdam --> Champions League Group Stage
Feyenoord Rotterdam --> Champions League Third Qualifying Round
PSV Eindhoven --> Europa League Play-off Round
AZ Alkmaar --> Europa League Play-off Round
SC Heerenveen --> Europa League Third Qualifying Round
Twente Enschede --> Europa League First Qualifying Round
Vitesse Arnhem --> Europa League Second Qualifying Round

Notes: Netherlands was one of the three countries to be awarded an extra Europa League berth, because of the excellent fair-play coefficient of Dutch teams. This place, in the first qualifying round of the competition, went to Twente, who was not supposed to play in the competition at all (as they were not winners of the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition). Vitesse Arnhem won the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition, against NEC Nijmegen and then RKC Waalwijk (who defeated Twente Enschede), thereby gaining a place in the Europa League Second Qualifying Round.

Okay, Ajax Is Going to Win, But Who'll Be Second?

Ajax got yet another win, by beating disappointing Twente, 2-1, in Enschede. They continue to have a six-point lead over Feyenoord.

Speaking of the team from Rotterdam, they got the other impressive win of this matchday, by downing former long-term leaders AZ Alkmaar, 1-0, at home. Now, Feyenoord is second, finally, and its players are looking at Champions League football next season if only they keep this run going.

PSV managed to take over third, because both Alkmaar and Twente (who has a better goal difference than PSV, by the way) lost this matchday.

Heerenveen, who also won, is now up to fifth, while Twente drops to sixth. And Alkmaar, of course, is fourth now.

1 Ajax              32 21 7 4 88-35 +53  70p
2 Feyenoord     32 19 7 6 63-34 +29  64p
3 PSV              32 19 6 7 79-46 +33  63p
4 AZ                32 18 7 7 62-34 +28  61p
5 Heerenveen   32 17 10 5 73-53 +20  61p
6 Twente          32 17 9 6 77-38 +39  60p

Ajax Keeps Marching Towards the Title

Ajax Amsterdam crushed a Champions League hopeful, Heerenveen, 5-0, away from home, today.

How the hell Heerenveen is still close to the top when they make it a habit of losing 0-5 or 1-5 to Ajax, PSV and Twente, is beyond me (-- 14.08.2011 Ajax - Heerenveen 5-1, 20.08.2011 Heerenveen - Twente 1-5, 18.12.2011 Heerenveen - PSV 1-5, 18.03.2012 PSV - Heerenveen 5-1, 11.04.2012 Heerenveen - Ajax 0-5; see?)!

And Ajax's mission was made easier by two points because closest rivals AZ Alkmaar could not beat other strong rivals Twente Enschede. Final score, in Alkmaar, 2-2.
AZ led twice, through Jozy Altidore 's goals (3, 70), but Luuk de Jong (31) and Emir Bajrami (with just one minute left in regulation) came through for Twente.

But Twente only has 56 points now, while AZ gets to 58.
Ajax, on the other hand, now can brag with 61 points, and the best goal difference in the league.

Feyenoord was only able to achieve a goalless draw at Roda Kerkrade (which leaves them alone in fourth), while PSV lost again, this time at Waalwijk.

Highlights from AZ Alkmaar - Twente 2-2:

az-twe by soccermr

Highlights from Heerenveen - Ajax 0-5:

hee-aja by soccermr

Another Interesting Day in Holland

The most fun league in the world, to watch right now, if you know football, just has to be the Dutch Eredivisie.
So many teams vying for the title, and so many mess-ups between all of them.

Today, the leaders, Alkmaar, as well as seemingly the in-form team, Twente, both stumbled.

AZ Alkmaar could only manage a 0-0 draw at home, against lowly NAC Breda (who defeated PSV just the previous matchday, though), while Twente lost at home to Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Speaking of Feyenoord, they've just joined Heerenveen in the group of hopefuls. (I call them "hopefuls"because they're three points behind the lowest of the top three.)

Twente Enschede is on 48, too, but they have a game in hand.

Ajax is the only team that at the moment seems to be obtaining just victories. The Hague is not always an easy place to go and face the local team, but Ajax beat Den Haag 2-0 there in a convincing manner.
Because of Alkmaar's draw, Ajax is now only one point behind top spot.

Highlights from Alkmaar - Breda 0-0:


Highlights from Den Haag - Ajax 0-2:


Highlights from Twente - Feyenoord 0-2:


Highlights from PSV - Heerenveen 5-1:

Feye... Nooo!

Feyenoord Rotterdam, or rather Guyon Fernandez, fought valiantly to come back from 0-2 to 2-2 in Eindhoven. They should have gotten the draw, but PSV's pressure made Feyenoord's defensive players lose their cool. It ended 3-2 for Philips Sport Vereniging.

Labyad's goal, in minute 85, was, pure and simple, a gift from the guests' defense. The PSV player only had to push in the ball, repeatedly mishandled and lost by Feyenoord, when it reached him.
This scrappy, random goal caused Feyenoord to lose 1 point, and PSV to gain 2 more. PSV Eindhoven also stays at the top of the standings thanks to this win.

Moreover, the leaders gain two points over AZ Alkmaar, who could not build on their win in Brussels, in the Europa League, in midweek, and drew 3-3, at home, against Heerenveen. The third-placed team, therefore, also lost two points in their attempt to follow PSV.

If there is another true winner this matchday, it's Twente Enschede. Steve McClaren's team managed to hold out against pushy Utrecht, who even hit the post in the second half. Final score: 1-0 for Twente, Luuk de Jong with the goal (in minute 45).

Ajax also won, beating Excelsion, 4-1, away from home, but, given that PSV won, they gain no ground on the leader.

What a Pathetic Ajax!

How is Ajax expecting to win anything, the way they've been playing?

They have not had a single win against their big four opponents (PSV, Twente, Feyenoord, AZ) this season.
And they really sucked balls in the Champions League! But I guess if they can blow away a 7-goal difference in the last matchday, they're surely not going to win any league, no matter how low it is in the UEFA coefficient rankings.

Maybe Frank De Boer should step down. No offense to him, personally.

...'Cause they have no future in the Europa League, either. (Manchester United is waiting.)

Highlights:

szólj hozzá: Feyenoord vs Ajax 4:2 GOALS

Current standings:
1. PSV           19 12 5 2 52-21 +31 41p
2. Twente      19 11 6 2 52-19 +33 39p
3. AZ             19 12 3 4 37-18 +19 39p
4. Ajax           19   9 7 3 49-28 +21 34p
(very little chance for Ajax now...)