Ajax show how unstable they still are

Sunday 30 November 2008

Ajax showed against FC Utrecht that they are still an unstable team, because after the great achievement on Thursday when they beat HSV Hamburg they got no further than a 1-1 draw at home against FC Utrecht.

Good new for AZ Alkmaar as the team of Louis van Gaal saw both PSV and Ajax drop points after they themselves beat FC Groningen on Friday.

When we write this NAC are 3-0 down at Sparta Rotterdam and defeat for the team from Breda would mean AZ are the sole leaders in the Eredivisie after this weekend.

Sander Keller put FC Utrecht ahead in the 35th minute when Ajax keeper Vermeer misjudged a corner allowing Keller to open the score.

Until that goal Ajax had controlled the game, but the Amsterdammers were unable to create much.

Of course they had some chances but Utrecht keeper Michel Vorm proved just why he is a member of the national team on three occasions.

The second half gave a similar picture with Ajax having most possession and FC Utrecht staying upright without getting in any real trouble.

In the 61st minute the team of Marco van Basten managed to equalize when Sulejmani got away from Keller for once and beat Vorm with a shot.

The whole stadium then expected Ajax to lay siege to the goal of Vorm, but besides a big chance for Suarez nothing came of it.

Marco van Basten thought his team's poor first half was the main reason for the point loss.

"We started poorly while FC Utrecht showed they had been preparing for this game all week."

Van Basten didn't want to use Thursday's tough away game to Hamburg as an excuse.

"No, at this stage of the competition you should be able to play well twice a week. But it hurts that we drop five points within a week. AZ are only three points ahead, but we still should win our home games. We didn't manage against FC Utrecht and that is a shame."