Game : Ajax Amsterdam vs Feyenoord Rotterdam
Competition : Dutch Eredivisie Week 23
Date : Sunday, Feb 15
Final score : Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 Feyenoord Rotterdam
Goal scorers : Thomas Vermaelen (52′), Urby Emanuelson (90+1′)
Feyenoord Rotterdam’s poor away form in the Eredivisie continued when they were beaten 2-0 by fierce rivals Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday. Second half goals from Thomas Vermaelen and Urby Emanuelson gave Marco Van Basten’s side their ninth home win in the league this season in front of a crowd of 51,036.
The loss was Feyenoord manager Leon Vlemming’s first defeat, but even he would acknowledge that Ajax fully deserved their win.
Urby Emanuelson and Luis Suarez could have broken the deadlock before half time as Ajax dominated possession, having 66% of it at the lemon break.
Having not won in their last four games, the Ajax players seemed determined to ensure that this game would not be the first goalless draw between these two sides in 30 years, and continuously strove forward in search of an opening goal.
The break through came in the 52nd minute. Theo Lucius had tripped Leonardo outside the box as he produced another surging run from the left hand side. Kennedy Bakircioglü whipped in the free kick, and Feyenoord defender Bahia was guilty of some poor marking as he allowed the ball to land in front of Vermaelen, who scored from point blank range.
Leonardo was in brilliant form, and the Feyenoord defence struggled to cope up with him. Feyenoord had to repel wave after wave of Ajax attacks, and it was a combination of good fortune and some excellent keeping from Henk Timmer that ensured that they stayed in the game.
First Urby Emanuelson’s shot hit the woodwork, and Timmer managed to catch it before it fell over the line. Then Suarez chipped Timmer, only to see the ball hit the woodwork and fall into the path of Kennedy Bakircioglü, who got his effort all wrong.
Feyenoord’s woes mounted when Dwight Tiendalli was sent off for a second bookable offence eight minutes from time.
Any chances that Feyenoord might have harboured of getting something out of the game ended in the first minute of added time. The away side left themselves thin at the back, and Ajax attacked on the counter. Suarez scampered down the left, and then unselfishly squared it for Emanuelson to smash into an empty net as Timmer came forward.