Game 6, Europa League Group Phase
Thursday, December 12, 2024
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Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam
Ajax Lazio 1-3
Lazio crush Ajax and wave to the mayor who had denied Lazio fans entry into the city
Prequel
The fact that Lazio were going to play in Amsterdam was a well known fact since the draw took place on August 30. Ajax started selling tickets to the Lazio fans on November 14 and they quickly sold out. All 2600 of them. Then on November 26, the Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, decided to prohibit fans from travelling to the match for fear of public disturbances from the hard core Lazio supporters. They are known as “right-wing extremist, anti-Semitic, and racist”, said the mayor.
Lazio demanded that the supporters be fully reimbursed including travelling and hotel expenses as well as the ticket, but Halsema only agreed regarding the tickets. Lazio have threatened legal action.
The issue, as is fairly clear, has nothing to do with the Lazio fans. In the previous game in Amsterdam against Maccabi Tel Aviv there were anti semitic chants at the game and fights in the city. The Biancocelesti supporters posed an internal threat since it was obvious that some Dutch fans could have taken the opportunity to create chaos. In this way, by turning the blame towards the Italian fans, the major safeguarded herself.
President Claudio Lotito and even the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, tried everything they could to change Halsema’s mind but to no avail.
The team
Manager Marco Baroni again decided to play the midweek team. He therefore rested a few players such as Matteo Guendouzi, Gustav Isaksen, Nuno Tavares, Mario Gila and Ivan Provedel and threw in Christos Mandas, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Luca Pellegrini, Samuel Gigot and Loum Tchaouna.
First half
Ajax started well, pressing Lazio in their own half, but in the 12th minute the Biancocelesti went ahead. Boulaye Dia dispossessed Kenneth Taylor and left the ball to Nicolò Rovella who quickly passed it to Pedro. The Spaniard went a few steps forward and then put a fantastic assist for Tchaouna who in front of the keeper did not miss.
The Dutch did not lose their composure and thanks to an over cautious Lazio, particularly in defence, almost equalised with Brian Brobbey in the 19th minute, quick to fly towards a cross two meters from the goal but he could not get his timing right and his header went wide.
The Biancocelesti slowly took control and Ajax could not manage to create anything dangerous. But apart from a couple of shots from outside the box from Taty Castellanos there was not much else to report in the first 45 minutes.
Second half
Ajax a lot more determined on return from the interval. In the 47th minute Steven Berghuis took a free kick on the right, cross into the box, Kenneth Taylor headed the ball towards the goal, Luca Pellegrini managed to save on the line, in came Betrand Traoré who with a mighty shot equalised.
The game was open to all possibilities but when many thought Lazio would crumble, the Biancocelesti scored. In the 52nd minute Pedro on the counter attack to Mattia Zaccagni on the left. The winger advanced and crossed low into the box, Castellanos was late for the appointment but not Dele-Bashiru whose shot was yes parried by the keeper but the ball was already over the line.
Lazio’s goal was like a wet blanket for Ajax and their fans. In the 56th minute Tchaouna dribbled through the Dutch defence and shot, Remko Pasveer saved. Immediately after Kian Fitz-Jim came on for Mika Godts.
In the 57th minute a second of folly from Pellegrini who on a cross from the left decided to chest the ball back to the keeper, not noticing that Brobbey was in front of him, fortunately his header went wide with Mandas stranded in no man’s land.
More substitutions: in came Nuno Tavares and Gila, out went Pellegrini and Patric for Lazio; Chuba Akpom and Wout Weghorst for Berghuis and Brobbey for Ajax.
In the 78th minute a masterpiece. Nuno Tavares received the ball in his own half and went off like a high speed train, ball to Tchaouna on the edge of the box, back heel for Pedro, marvellous curling shot, Ajax 1 Lazio 3.
Lazio could have made it four in the 84th minute. Long ball from just outside the Lazio penalty area for Castellanos who in front of the keeper tried a lob which did not work.
Ajax then had three chances to reduce the deficit. In the 85th minute Traoré hit the top of the crossbar, in the 86th great save from Mandas on a first Akpom attempt who three minutes later had an easy header off a Anton Gaaei cross but the ball went wide. Gaeei had another opportunity in injury time but his shot hit the outer edge of the post.
Good win for Lazio, still top of Europa League in the company of Atletico Bilbao. Just two games left of this group stage.
Who played for Ajax
Pasveer, Rensch (78' Jense), Sutalo, Baas, Hato, Berghuis (72' Akpom), Henderson, Taylo (78' Rasmussen), Traorè, Brobbey (72' Weghorst), Godts (57' Fitz-Jim)
Substitutes: Gorter, Ramaj, Gaaei, Kaplan, Van Den Bomen, Rugani, Hlynsson
Manager: Farioli
Who played for Lazio
Mandas, Lazzari (46' Marusic), Patric (72' Gila), Gigot, Pellegrini (69' Nuno Tavares), Rovella, Dele-Bashiru, Tchaouna, Dia (46' Zaccagni), Pedro (88' Guendouzi), Castellanos
Substitutes: Provedel, Furlanetto, Noslin, Isaksen
Manager: Baroni
Referee: Kružliak (Slovacchia)
Goals: 12' Tchaouna, 47' Traorè, 52' Dele-Bashiru, 77' Pedro
Booked: Hato (A), Brobbey (A), Rovella (L), Pellegrini (L), Gigot (L), Weghorst (A)
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