I pity the fool...who didn't see this game. No really, I do. What a great game this was, could have easily been a Champion's League game instead of a pre-season friendly match. Ajax - FC Barcelona 4-3 The first half was all Barcelona though, don't even think Ajax had a shot at goal in that half. Barcelona showed they can play the ball around perfectly, and scored two goals: one by Kluivert and one by Saviola. The second half started with a bang, or two. Mido scored the first goal for the Amsterdammers in the first minute of the 2nd half, and it looked like Ajax's chances of winning this game became a lot better..but Barcelona gave a quick reply (only seconds later) and the tournament looked lost with 1-3 on the scoreboard. But no, Ajax don't play that! The engine was starting to get rolling, and in particular the little train that could: van der Vaart. Who scored 2 goals to bring back the tie. Barcelona's offense was basically invisible after their 2nd half goal, no wonder Koeman decided to play with 5, count 'em, 5 attackers: Wamberto, Mido, Zlatan (who sucks) Machlas and van der Meyde. It still looked like the tournament cup would go to Barcelona, even though Ajax was dominating (in every sense of the verb dominate) but with just seconds to go, there came the blonde haired wonder Richard Witsche with a fantastic free kick to give the win to Ajax! Like I said, this didn't seem like a training match at all. Both teams wanted to win this game, but in the end Ajax just had a little more spirit than the foreign legion playing for Barça. Great game.
Tournament end score: Ajax..............12 points FC Barcelona...10 points Manchester.....7 points Parma............2 points Ajax vs Manchester United 2-1 FC Barcelona vs Parma 4-2 Manchester United vs Parma 3-0 Ajax vs FC Barcelona 4-3
Shouldn't this thread read "Ajax New v Ajax Old". Are Cocu, De Boer, Reizenger, Kluivert, Overmars and Van Gaal all ex-Ajax?
From the highlights that i saw, this game must of been dope, and the free kick to end the game, all i gotta say is, Watch out Feynoord and PSV!
I don't know. PSV look strong aswell and of course Feyenoord won the UEFA cup. All 3 look much better than in previous years. I think what we seeing is the slow down in TV money isn't allowing the big Spanish/Italian/English clubs to prise away all the Dutch talent. In recent years Van Bommel, Hoflaand, Van Der Vaart, Hesselink (sp?) would have all been snapped up by Juve, Barca or Man U. I hope it stays this way as Dutch clubs have such a great pedigree in Europe. Lets see at least one Dutch team making it through to the quarter or even semi finals in The Champions League this year.
Quite simply put, this was the most enjoyable football match for this Ajax supporter since the high-flying Ajax of 92-96.It was 90 minutes of ebb and flow, let the teams play football. It was a tale of two halves. Ajax played miserably in half 1; reminding me of the 1st half ManU of Friday night.Barcelona played with much higher energy and skill. The goals by Kluivert, beating Chivu on his inside shoulder while Chivu protested for offside, and Saviola were very well taken. The 0:2 was much deserved . Mido set the tone on 46' for Ajax. His goal was the residue of hardwqork and good finishing.Even when Saviola rewarded Ajax for their lackadaisical play after Mido's goal by bagging his 2nd and Barca's 3rd on 48', Ajax didn't quit. They took the bit in their teeth and pressed on.They played with great pace, enthusiasm, and heart... and a 19 year-old weapon named Rafael van der vaart. His 1st goal , the 2:3,was a brilliant , angled left foot strike and the second , the leveller, a hustle play on a ball bouncing near the Barca goal line. Barca's defense looked like a bunch of teenage boys running about chasing the prom queen on the 3:3 goal. The ArenA was rocking, the crowd was singing, and several flares were lit after the 3:3. As stated in an earlier post, Ajax went to 5 attackers( Mido, Zlatan, Wamberto, Nikos Machlas, and Andy van der Meyde) in an all-out bid to win. That Richard Witschge, the man sent packing to Alaves last year,should return to score the winner, with 20 seconds left and on a bodacious left foot freebie, is just what an amazing match needed as an exclamation point.AMAZING!!