“Lize Kop, olé, olé”, chant the supporters of the ‘Ajax Women Fanatics’. The supporters group, consisting of a handful of fanatics, supports the women’s team of Ajax always and everywhere. On Saturday, at a sold-out Sportpark De Toekomst, they accompany the slogans of several dozen young girls in the stands with drums. Together they drum and shout Ajax to the win (1-0) against FC Twente, with which the team of coach Suzanne Bakker is on match point for the national championship.
It is no coincidence that Ajax keeper Lize Kop is the only one to be serenaded. With a number of good saves, she keeps her goal clean against FC Twente, which has been the team to beat in the Women’s Eredivisie for years. Twente became champion in the past three seasons, although Ajax invested by far the most money in women’s football. After the final whistle, immediately after she has been chosen as player of the match, the Ajax players visit Kop to celebrate the victory. An advance on the third title in club history too?
“Two titles in seven years Ajax, I am ready for a new one”, says Kop laughing. She draped a Frisian flag around her shoulders for an interview with Omrop Fryslân. Even though Ajax goes into the last round with a point lead, Kop does not count himself rich yet. “Tennis players sometimes also have a hard time mentally on match point. It’s about being able to play under that pressure,” she says. If Ajax wins at PEC Zwolle next week, the club is certain of its first national championship since 2017-2018.
Cup, post and crossbar
In the top game at De Toekomst on Saturday, the difference is made in the first half, when Tiny Hoekstra uses the rebound of a shot from Chasity Grant. The victory over FC Twente is well timed, because the two previous meetings this season, in the cup and the competition, were lost. Ajax had adjusted its tactics for this match. The team collapsed a little more than usual to catch FC Twente and then create danger in ‘the switch’. The only goal of the match also comes from a quick outbreak after a corner kick from FC Twente.
The tired players of FC Twente, who, in addition to Kop, also find the bar twice and the post once in their way, crash down on the field after the final whistle, disappointed. The Ajax selection can be celebrated extensively, pose in the spring sun for selfies and sign autographs. One of them is record international Sherida Spitse (32), who returned to the Netherlands in early 2021 after a period at the Norwegian Vålerenga IF.
As captain of Ajax, Spitse leads a selection with mainly young players. It was a conscious choice to play with the challenger, she says. “Everywhere I play I want to win prizes, so also with Ajax.” Spitse fulfills her leadership role this Saturday with verve. When Ajax is having a hard time after more than an hour of play, she directs her teammates forward together with coach Bakker. The tactics in consultation with Spitse, adjusted because earlier this season FC Twente always benefited from the space behind Ajax’s last line.
Nursery for abroad
Quite a bit has changed in the Women’s Eredivisie since Spitse made her debut at the highest level for sc Heerenveen in 2007. Only six clubs participated in the first season of the Eredivisie, which played against each other four times. There are now eleven and next season FC Utrecht will join them. Despite the increased professionalization and attention from the media, sponsors and public – at the beginning of March Ajax played against Feyenoord in the Arena in front of 34,000 spectators – the Women’s Eredivisie remains a breeding ground for foreign clubs. More so than the men.
As soon as players show themselves emphatically every week, they are recruited by clubs from across the border, who can often pay much more and play in better competitions. Ajax only lost to FC Twente in nineteen matches this season and played a draw against Feyenoord. In addition to Ajax, FC Twente only lost to newcomer Fortuna Sittard. The rest of the games were usually won with ease.
At FC Twente it is expected that goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who only had to collect a goal against Ajax for the fifth time in this competition, will leave after this season. Fenna Kalma, who is on track to become top scorer with 29 goals in 19 games, also seems difficult to keep. Ajax saw Victoria Pelova go to Arsenal halfway through the season and will have to do its best next summer to convince striker Romée Leuchter to play another season in the Netherlands.
FC Twente coach Joran Pot, who did not want to blame his team after the defeat, sees that there is more and more talent in the Eredivisie. At the same time, he sees the level stagnating because the number of teams continues to increase. “The width is getting better, because we train more and more players. But that will be less now that more clubs are joining.” But the difference between the top two and the rest will be less in a few years, Pot expects. “The performances of both teams are also very good.”
Afterwards, Sherida Spitse is mainly concerned with keeping her team sharp to crown the season with the title against PEC Zwolle. Lize Kop first wants to enjoy herself, but also for her, her eyes quickly turn to next week’s game. Spitse is confident, according to her, things are going well at Ajax mentally. “And if that is not the case, they will hear it from me.”