Ajax Women put an end to a long series of league defeats against FC Twente on Saturday. Due to the 1-0 win, the Amsterdam club can also draw a big line next week through the years of dominance of Twente in the Women’s Eredivisie.
Immediately after the final whistle from referee Shona Shukrula, the players of Ajax jump into each other’s arms. After a celebration for the last period title, the football players of the new Eredivisie leader walk a long lap of honor on the main field of Sportpark De Toekomst.
The first national title since 2018 has not yet been won for Ajax after the tight victory over reigning champion FC Twente. But the outburst of joy in Amsterdam reveals that the much-desired grand prize is now very close.
“Of course the discharge was great,” says Ajax keeper Lize Kop, who became woman of the match with a number of important saves. “We know we don’t have anything yet, but it’s important to really enjoy this success. This is a super important victory.”
Top drie Vrouwen Eredivisie
- Ajax 19-52 (+47)
- FC Twente 19-51 (+74)
- Fortuna Sittard 19-35 (+22)
Twente became champion in Amsterdam last year
Thanks to a goal from Tiny Hoekstra in the fourteenth minute, Ajax booked its first competition victory over FC Twente since September 2020. This was followed by no less than seven defeats against the record champion. Partly due to this strong series, the club from Enschede Ajax has always been the boss in the title fight in recent years.
“Of course it was eating us that we couldn’t beat Twente. But at a certain point it stops, doesn’t it”, says Ajax captain Sherida Spitse with a big smile.
The 32-year-old Spitse signed with Ajax 2.5 years ago with the aim of ending the Eredivisie hegemony of her former club FC Twente. The record international of the Dutch national team (208 international matches) failed in that mission in 2021 and 2022. Last season she and her teammates even had to watch how the tukkers conquered the national title in the last round in Amsterdam, already the third in a row.
That scenario could have been repeated on Saturday. “Of course we knew that Twente could become champion here again,” says Spitse. “But it’s not like we said that to each other every day this week. We really focused on what we had to do to win. We had a lot of confidence in our plan and we radiated that.”
Kop: “The atmosphere was very good all week. We talked a lot and there was a lot of positivity. We really had the belief that we could win. And you could see that on the field.”
Ajax is champion with victory in Zwolle
Spitse played on Saturday with a white wristband on which she had written a few reminders in black. The two most important: “keep calm” and “look ahead”.
The midfielder used the strap so that she would always keep her focus during the game. But the advice is also very useful for the coming week at Ajax.
The new leader must win next Sunday during the last round of play against mid-engine PEC Zwolle to be sure of the title. FC Twente, which has one point less, is playing a home game with Feyenoord at the same time.
Kop emphasizes half an hour after the liberating victory over FC Twente that she absolutely does not feel like a champion yet. “We are very close,” says the keeper. “But you also see often enough with tennis players that they get mentally tough when they are on match point. We have to ensure that we continue to play good football under that pressure next week in Zwolle.”
According to Spitse, there is no danger that her team will go into the match against PEC with the idea that the title is almost won. “We really know that we are not there yet. We have to keep our feet on the ground.” Laughing: “And if some girls don’t succeed, they will hear it from me.”
FC Twente blijft geloven in wonder
De teleurstelling bij FC Twente was ontzettend groot na de 1-0-nederlaag tegen Ajax. Titelprolongatie lijkt zo goed als onmogelijk, maar dat was niet de boodschap die trainer Joran Pot in Amsterdam wilde uitdragen. “Er is nog een kans, dus daar moeten we voor gaan. Natuurlijk is die kans niet heel groot. Maar het zou wel heel dom zijn als we er volgende week niet voor zouden strijden.”
Pot en Twente zijn afhankelijk van PEC Zwolle, de ploeg die hij tot vorig jaar zomer coachte. “Ik zal deze week vast wel wat contact hebben met mensen van PEC. Maar ik denk niet dat een belletje van mij naar Zwolle een verschil zal maken. We kunnen alleen hopen dat ze ons gaan helpen door punten af te pakken van Ajax.”
View the program, the results and the position in the Women’s Eredivisie
2023-04-29 20:59:43
#Ajax #Women #champion #Treat #didnt #beat #Twente #Football
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/06/10/2831019-58385408-2560-1440.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
