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Ajax wants to top the group

December 17th, 2008 | By: Jan | 26 Comments »

Ajax will play their strongest team against Slavia Prague tonight. The Amsterdam club did qualify already but coach Marco van Basten wants to finish first.

The numbero uno will draw the number three from another group in the next round. If it finishes second, Ajax will be coupled to a team that had to leave the Champions League.

Ajax has as much points after three matches as Hamburger SV and Aston Villa who play against eachother in Hamburg tonight. If two teams tie, the UEFA will determine the top dogs on the basis of goal balance. Is that equal too, the UEFA decides on number of goals scored. Then the number of away goals, the number of games won, the number of away games won and finally the ranking. Funnily enough, the result between the two teams won’t be relevant. Can you still follow?

Aston Villa has the best goal balance (+2), both HSV and Ajax have +1. If Ajax beats Slavia, they will end up as number 2, at least. The leader of the Czech Republic is already out of the competition.

“It’s hard to assess where Slavia stands. They perform well domestically, but not to good in Europe. Still, last season they beat us in the qualifications for the Champions League, we mustn’t forget that. We will need to be at the top of our game. I do hope we’ll do well,” said Marco van Basten.

The former Oranje team manager can’t use Rasmus Lindgren. The Swede injured himself in training. Gabri, Enoh and Aissati aren’t fit either. Vuron Anita will most probably start. The 19 year old only played against Heerenveen, the game Ajax lost 5-2.

Presumed line up Ajax: Vermeer; Van der Wiel, Oleguer, Vertonghen and Vermaelen; Anita, De Jong and Emanuelson; Suarez, Cvitanich and Sulejmani. (ANP)

Tags: Ajax, Group C, Jol, Lindgren, Suarez, Van Basten, Vermeer

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 26 comments.

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By Michel-Olivier | December 17th, 2008 at 8:57 am

Suarez or Cvitanich will score a hat trick

the new coach prefer drenthe and palanca

Posted from United States

By Van Basten | December 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am

In the current FIFA 2008 rankings, the Oranje ranks 3rd just behind Spain and Germany. If it’s any consolation to not winning a world cup yet or the Euro since 1988,at least we are among the top 3 best teams in the universe!

By Caleb | December 17th, 2008 at 11:55 am

@Van Basten – it’s nice to be 3rd on that list, but unfortunately that list is usually on crack. I’ve lost faith in it being anything close to the truth (just like the Fifa player of the year awards, etc.).

@Jan – We knew there would be this risk to the Dutch players when a new coach comes in… and I guess VdV hasn’t really settled in Madrid yet, so he’s an easy target.

Posted from Canada

By goose | December 17th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

i thought we were 4th on the Fifa ranking… i say ; whenever theres a list we need to be close to the number 1 position

vdVaart is out, im pretty sure..never really understood that move by Real

Posted from Netherlands

By ferenc | December 17th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

sad for vdv. he made a mistake. he should have stayed at hamburg or go to juve or valencia. i would say barca but with xavi and iniesta there is no room for him at barca. too bad for oranje. not 100% sure that mijatovic sell him in january,they might wait until the summer but it would be better if they let him go. does valencia or juve still need him? or a club like atletico madrid,villareal,sevilla… guess drenthe will be the next.

Posted from Hungary

By ferenc | December 17th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

hope ajax will finish first and will face no heavyweights like milan,valencia etc.

Posted from Hungary

By goose | December 17th, 2008 at 2:36 pm

@ferenc ; it does surprise me that they say is not being a real pro, being overweight etc., they say he isnt motivated?!! if Real doesnt motivate you its time to look for a different proffession

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | December 17th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

or a better team, like Liverpool mate

By goose | December 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

@finn ; this is gonna be Liverpools year my friend, with Kuijt as a main man!

i feel it!!

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | December 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

btw ; Ajax up 1-0 after 2 minutes Vermaelen after a corner

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | December 17th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

1-1 that is..

Posted from Netherlands

By ferenc | December 17th, 2008 at 3:06 pm

i thought vertonghen…
@goose: i saw this season at least 10-12 real madrid game (barca as well). i didn’t see the one when he made a hat-trick. i mean he was never ever the same player in madrid as in hamburg. for ex when you see sneijder even a bad day you feel that he’s great. same with robben. but vdv doesn’t run enough,shoots a lot but without any results,you can easily predict his free-kicks,he doesn’t defend,i mean he looks like a lazy man. ok for ex. ronaldinho is lazy as well but in milan in every game he has moments of magic. rafael doesn’t have this moments. i don’t understand him.
liverpool wouldn’t be a good place for him. the pace is too high,fits better to kuijt and kind of hardworker players. it might be pool’s year,i hope they win the pl. but no double (double – cl and liga – is for barca this year).

ajax 1-1:-(( what’s going on???

Posted from Hungary

By Michel-Olivier | December 17th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

ajax 1-2 slavia

Posted from United States

By ian wilkie | December 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

3 nil hsv are beeting avfc looks like second place is ours

By ferenc | December 17th, 2008 at 4:28 pm

hamburg 3-1. is it enough for the 2nd place?

Posted from Hungary

By ferenc | December 17th, 2008 at 4:33 pm

2-2

Posted from Hungary

By Michel-Olivier | December 17th, 2008 at 4:39 pm

suarez dive for the penalty, but it doesn’t matter at least we won a point

Posted from United States

By dirk v.d. Berg | December 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm

Suarez has gotten 5 cards this season for diving. Pretty bad to have him on our team, but he’s such a talented striker. I’m hoping we get up against Shakhtar, Aalborg, or Dynamo Kyiv. I’m okay with us getting Bourdeaux, or Marseille, but we had better not get Zenit, Fiorentina or Werder Bremen.

Posted from Canada

By dirk v.d. Berg | December 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm

It actually looks better for us to have gotten 3rd. Right now it stands as Man City, Galatasaray, Standard Liege, Udinese, Wolfbsorg, Hamburg, St. Ettiene, and CSKA Moskva. The only strong team is Man City, though I don’t know if we coudl be CSKA.

Posted from Canada

By tiju | December 17th, 2008 at 11:18 pm

@ferenec
Agree abt VDV he is so lazy and not helping the diffence and not running like a bull.I am so sad.why?players with lessthan mediocre skills(kuyt)are running like bulls and helping defence and creating spaces.but hugly talented son of gods are wasting their talent.

Posted from India

By tiju | December 18th, 2008 at 12:46 am

As per latetest fifa ranking we are in 3 rd position,
i think its ok coz before the match gainst italy Znijder stated that(italian’s are terrified coz of us)and we and he(Znijder)butcherd them.
A courageous statement and its accomplishment
So may be brazil,arjentina,spain may challenge us to some extend.(but we have to stay in ground and shouldnt repeat the mistake again(russia EC08 arrogance with bula saha)

Posted from India

By bobotoh | December 18th, 2008 at 3:02 am

VdV should move. It’s better for his career.

Posted from Indonesia