Ajax blanks Heracles to move within three of the top
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored two second-half goals and Wesley Sneijder netted the opener for Ajax as the Amsterdam club moved to within three points of league-leaders PSV with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Heracles on Sunday.
PSV's 1-1 draw with NAC on Saturday gave Ajax the opportunity to move to within three points of the top, and the home side took full advantage, taking control of the match from the start and never looking like coming away with anything but a win.
After Heracles produced the first chance of the game, Ajax made the most of its first threat to move ahead 1-0. Heracles defender Marnix Smit brought down Huntelaar just outside the box, giving Sneijder a dangerous free-kick chance. The midfielder took the chance by curling a brilliant shot around the wall and into the top-left corner of the net.
A fine diving stop by keeper Martin Pieckenhagen kept Huntelaar off the board in the first half, but he was not to be denied after the restart. Tom de Mul's cross was flicked on by Ryan Babel, who found Huntelaar inside the six-yard box, making his finish an easy one and giving Ajax a two-goal cushion.
Two minutes later, the result was well in hand as Heracles defender Eddy Bosnar was stripped of the ball, allowing Sneijder to carry it down the left flank and find Huntelaar with a cross that the striker calmly finished from close range to lock up the win.
In other Eredivisie play on Sunday, Pierre van Hooijdonk gave Feyenoord a 1-0 win over Vitesse with his goal in the 79th minute, Excelsior downed bottom- feeders Den Haag 3-1, Sparta rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Heerenveen and Twente stayed four points back of second-placed Ajax with a 3-0 win over Utrecht.
Comments
this is the player we want at barce .
HUNTELAAR no ronaldo from man uted.
this guy is the best marksman for a long time now i am still praying please god .
Posted by: soccer dr nyc | April 2, 2007 12:04 PM
Sorry to disapoint you but his people are now in talks with Manchester United. To be honest I hope he stay's at Ajax. The reason all the top teams in Europe seem to keep their lofty positions is because they pry good player's like Hunelaar away from their clubs. If he does go to United at least he will play. If he goes to Barca it's like going to Madrid. He will be wasted & caught up in that on again off again rotation those teams have as they have so many high profile players'.
Posted by: Scotty | April 2, 2007 03:37 PM
I agree Scotty. Ajax should keep him even though deep down I'd love to see him at United. Barca & Madrid have too many problems at the moment. Barca has so many good players' they dont know what to do with them. As for Madrid they have a history of spending more money than they actually bring in. This is an actual fact & it's not something I'm coming up with off the top of my head. Some years back their money problems were so bad at one point the club sold the stadium to the city of Madrid to raise funds & in return the city donated the stadium back to the club. I know it sounds a bit crazy but it's true. Like I said. Both Barca & Madrid have lot's of problems & it's going to take a long time for them to sort it all out. I hope Huntelaar stays at Ajax.
Posted by: Santiago | April 3, 2007 04:07 AM
Thank you so much for this aritlce, it saved me time!
Posted by: Boss | June 21, 2011 11:39 AM