Football Ajax Amsterdam
“In the Underworld” – The incredible crash of a world club
As of: 12:58 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Deeply hit, badly beaten. Ajax Amsterdam striker Georges Mikautadze (left) after the completely surprising defeat against USV Hercules
Quelle: picture alliance/ANP/Gerrit van Keulen
You can listen to our WELT podcasts here
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
The Dutch media described it as an “alien embarrassment”. Ajax Amsterdam’s crisis is coming to a head after the historic cup embarrassment against an amateur club. Ajax coach John van’t Schip wasn’t even at the game, he had other plans.
Ajax Amsterdam is now just a shadow of its former glory. The negative highlight for the time being was the historic cup defeat of the Dutch record champions against the amateur club USV Hercules – which even caused strong criticism abroad. An “extraordinary embarrassment for Ajax” was the headline in “De Telegraaf”, the Dutch trade magazine “Voetbal International” called the result “the biggest sensation in the history of the competition” and even the Spanish “Marca” spoke of a “scandalous failure”. The club is descending into the underworld!”
On Thursday evening, the 20-time cup winner was eliminated in the second round with a 2-3 defeat by fourth division club Hercules, thus failing for the first time in cup history against an amateur club.
“Ajax’s disaster season has thus reached a new historic low,” wrote De Telegraaf. “De Volkskrant” spoke of “a fall into a crater from which the bottom has obviously not yet been reached.” The team was more than embarrassed. “Even against amateurs, Ajax can’t defend… nor attack properly.”
Nice side effect from Ajax embarrassment
Tim Pieters gave the lower-class club from Utrecht a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute and even followed it up with a 2-0 lead in the second half (66th). Brian Brobbey (83′) and Chuba Akpom (89′) seemed to be able to avert the embarrassment until Mats Grotenberg shocked Ajax again deep into stoppage time (90’+3).
also read
“That’s not normal. I can’t believe it,” said double goalscorer Pieters after the game on “ESPN”: “I think it will go around the world. It would have made more sense if we had lost 6-0.” Since that wasn’t the case, quite the opposite, Pieters’ roommates made a big winning win. The 22-year-old lives in a dormitory and before the game his roommates had jokingly bet 15 euros on Pieters scoring and Utrecht winning. The odds for this combination were 751. This resulted in a profit of 11,265 euros.
Here you will find content from Twitter
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
The record champions from the state capital, on the other hand, are in what is probably the most difficult time in their history – including a serious board crisis. In October, Ajax were even in last place in the Eredivisie. Under new coach John van ‘t Schip, Ajax has now improved to fifth place after a historically poor start to the season. According to Ajax’s self-image, the gap to leaders PSV Eindhoven is already an incredible 23 points.
Brian Brobbey and Chuba Akpom had evened out a 0-2 deficit late on Thursday evening with their goals in the 83rd and 88th minutes, but in stoppage time Mats Grotenbreg made the sensation perfect with the winning goal for the outsiders. “That shouldn’t have happened,” said Ajax assistant coach Michael Valkanis after the game. He represented head coach John van’t Schip, who is in Australia for his son’s wedding. “That should not have happened. We are going through a very difficult season,” said Valkanis.
also read
