A lukewarm applause sounds late on Wednesday evening in the Johan Cruijff Arena. Ajax played courageously in phases, with a lot of aggression and willpower. But Ajax’s 500th European match became a little memorable 2-0 defeat against Internazionale. For example, Ajax knows where it is after the first Champions League match of the season-far away from the European top.
The excitement is visible, palpable, during the flags, about five minutes before the kick -off. Back in the Champions League, three years after the last performance, autumn 2022. In that intervening period, in which Ajax went through sporting and administrative crises, Internazionale reached the final twice-in 2023 against Manchester City and this year against Paris Saint-Germain. Both were lost.
Ajax tries to revive something from her golden years. ’31 May 1972 – Cruijff gave Ajax biggest glory, “says a banner. Under the direction of Johan Cruijff, Ajax won the European Cup I that evening, the precursor of the Champions League, by beating 2-0 in Rotterdam after two goals from the number fourteen. “The best final I’ve ever seen,” said teammate Sjaak Swart years later.
A youth player who can keep up before the game gets stuck at eight times. As later in the evening, many of the good intentions of the first team beaches. Although Ajax presents itself on the highest European stage as a combative team that contains potential – after the difficult, criticized start in the Eredivisie.
Finesse is missing
For example, there is a period, from the tenth to roughly the twentieth minute, which is unmistakably the best of this young season. Ajax still opens the game with many long balls to striker Wout Weghorst, but gradually is going to play more freely, more daring. They cut, turn, combine – regularly find the free man. Ajax has more ball possession, creates interaction with the public, but no opportunities.
The real finesse is missing, partly due to the attitude in which coach John Heitinga has opted for stability above creativity. That lack of resourcefulness can be seen in a Run by Davy Klaassen after 25 minutes. The captain has a lot of space and play options, but gets awkward. Ajax must mainly have ferocity. For example, Youri Baas is fighting a game of judo with Inter-Back Denzel Dumfries, which surprisingly wins the Ajax defender.
The stiff, experienced inter lets rare Ajax and then subtly takes control. It is looking for openings, becoming a little more dangerous. Striker Marcus Thuram gets a big chance, after a pass from Pio Esposito, but just shoots.
Suddenly there is a rare hole in the defense of Inter. The pass line that you think you can see high in the stadium that if the right ball is given now, it will yield a big chance – there will also be there. It is right winger Oliver Edvardsen who gives the beautiful depth ball low from his own half, on the waving left winger Mika Godts. It is perfectly launched, one-on-one with inter-goalkeeper Yann Sommer. The stadium springs up – the chance. But Godts doubts. And is right -legged, which makes him fall. Sommer dares to wait, with his left foot on the weak shot of Godts.
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Punished
That mistake will be punished mercilessly shortly thereafter. The refined inter-which under the new coach, former Ajax captain Cristian Chivu, has started the season badly-is particularly dangerous in standard situations. That is well known. Yet striker Marcus Thuram jumps simply for Klaassen at a corner of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and apparently easily heads in the short corner: 0-1.
Immediately after the break, inter-midfielder Çalhanoğlu gets a big chance if it is open at Ajax. From the corner that follows, taken again by Çalhanoğlu, Thuram scores again. He jumps higher than Klaassen and Ko Itakura: 0-2. Suddenly it falls silent in the Johan Cruijff Arena – a long second half awaits emotionally.
Shout sounds when the returned striker Kasper Dolberg takes off his vest, after twenty minutes in the second half. That changes to passionate cheers when he is brought in for Weghorst. Probably because Dolberg Fans recalls the most recent success period of Ajax – semi -final Champions League in 2019. But he too cannot make the difference, powerless if Ajax was against the strong collective of Internazionale.