Amsterdam Tournament
Sunday, August 1, 1999
Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
Ajax Lazio 2-3
Lazio defeat Ajax and promise to be on course for a good season
A crowd of 30,000 turned up for this summer friendly. Lazio were keen to avenge a 0-5 defeat to Ajax three years earlier but more importantly to play international opposition before their Europe Supercup clash with Manchester United on August 27.
Lazio started strongly, with Alen Boksic in particular showing he had already hit form. After 15 minutes they were ahead, a cross by Beppe Favalli was headed in by Boksic. Ajax 0 Lazio 1.
Lazio dominated the first half hour. The Biancocelesti were first denied what looked like a clear penalty on Pavel Nedved and then awarded one in the 20th minute for a foul on Simone Inzaghi. It was Boksic once again who was the protagonist, putting Inzaghi one-on-one with the keeper who then pulled him down. The specialist Sinisa Mihajlovic put it away to double Lazio’s lead. Ajax 0 Lazio 2.
At this point Lazio relaxed and the hosts came back into the game. The "Joden" were unwilling to slump to another heavy defeat after the 1-4 against Santos. They pulled one back in the 39th minute when Aron Winter teed up Richard Knopper whose cracking left footer made it 1-2. A minute later the Dutch had a Shota Arveladze goal disallowed for offside. Ajax also started to try several shots from the long range but Luca Marchegiani was alert.
Half time Ajax 1 Lazio 2. The Romans had played very well for 30 minutes but then pulled back too much. One problem was that Sebastian Veron was playing too deep, in an area of the field usually presided by Mihajlovic.
The second half started with a dazzling move by Boksic. The "Alien" sent the defenders crazy with a never-ending series of twists and turns and then put a perfect pass to Nedved who hit the post.
The game was fast, competitive and entertaining with end-to-end moves. Kennet Andersson had come on for Inzaghi in the 46th minute and almost scored immediately. Then in the 59th minute Lazio scored on a counter attack. A glorious long ball by Mihajlovic was run onto by Kennet Andersson who beat Grim again. Ajax 1 Lazio 3.
The fact that Boksic had gone off (56th minute, replaced by defender Fernando Couto) meant that for the last half hour Lazio were a bit squashed back in their own half with Andersson too isolated up front.
In the 71st minute the "Spearmen" pulled one back with Knopper. Ajax 2 Lazio 3. The Dutch forward almost got a hat-trick a minute later but his shot hit the crossbar.
The last fifteen minutes saw the home side push for an equaliser but in the end it was Lazio who came closest to scoring. Fernando Couto had an outrageous back heel effort cleared off the line (or maybe even over - this being pre-goal line technology).
The game ended 3-2 for Lazio. A deserved win for the Biancocelesti who had been the superior team for most of the match. Positive indications had come especially in attack where Boksic had been devastating and had paired up well with Inzaghi. There were still more than three weeks to the game with the Red Devils of Manchester and to the beginning of Serie A but Lazio seemed to be on the right track.
Lazio won the Amsterdam tournament with 12 points ahead of Santos 9, Ajax 3 and Atletico Madrid 2.
Who played for Ajax
Grim, Mokoena (79' Kanu), Van Halst (89' De Cler), Verlaat, Piquė, Gronkjaer (46' Bobson), Winter, Knopper, Witschge, Wamberto, Arveladze (79' Culina)
Substitutes: Menzo, Lanzaat
Manager: Wouters
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Negro, Nesta, Mihajlovic, Favalli (56' Gottardi), Lombardo, Stankovic (46' Sensini), Veron, Nedved, S. Inzaghi (46' Andersson), Boksic (56' Couto)
Manager: Eriksson
Referee: Wegereef
Goals: 15' Boksic, 20' Mihajlovic (pen), 39' Knopper, 59' Andersson, 71' Knopper
댓글