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Twente shock Ajax in Dutch play-offs
Monday, May 19 2008
Twente shocked Dutch giants Ajax
Amsterdam yesterday in the second leg of the Dutch Eredivisie
play-offs for a place in the third round of the Champions
League qualifications. After the team of coach Fred
Rutten had won the first leg 2-1 they kept the Amsterdammers
to a goalless draw in the Amsterdam Arena, yesterday.
Ajax were plagued by defensive
problems missing out on Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen
and Sammy Kuffour, but still had a good first half in
which they had the better of the play but no real chances.
After the break the visitors, led
by an impressive Orlando Engelaar and the quick silver
Belgian winger Steyn Huysegems, took more control of
the game and had three excellent chances to decide matters
before the final whistle.
Because Yussuf Hersi could not
capitalize on any of them the away crowd had to fear
for going out on the away goal rule if Ajax were to
score.
The best chance to see Ajax through
was for Rasmus Lindgren in extra-time, but face to face
with Twente goal keeper Sander Boschker he stranded
on the stopper's legs and thus paved the way for Twente's
first ever shot at the Champions League, next season.
AP
| First leg (10-05-2008) |
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FC Twente Enschede
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2-1
(HT 0-1) |
Ajax
Amsterdam
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Nkufo (pen) 64
Nkufo 76
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Suarez 44
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Bookings:
Wilkshire 17
Denneboom 50
Franco 54
Hersi 88
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Bookings:
Vertonghen 24
Suarez 32
Huntelaar 39
Silva 82
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