Soccer - Ajax after embarrassing bankruptcy: Club relegated to the underworld
Ajax Amsterdam is only a shadow of its former glory days. The negative highlight for the time being was the historic cup defeat of the Dutch soccer record champions against the amateur club USV Hercules - which was heavily criticized even abroad.
De Telegraaf" ran the headline "An alien embarrassment for Ajax", and even the Spanish newspaper "Marca" spoke of a "scandalous failure. The club is relegated to the underworld!" The 20-time cup winners were eliminated in the second round with a 2:3 defeat at fourth-division club Hercules, the first time in their cup history that they had been eliminated by an amateur club.
"Disastrous season"
"Ajax's disastrous season has thus reached a new historic low," wrote De Telegraaf. "De Volkskrant" spoke of a fall "into a crater from which the bottom has obviously not yet been reached". The team had more than embarrassed itself. "Even against amateurs, Ajax can't defend ... And they can't attack properly either."
The record champions from the state capital are going through probably the most difficult time in their history - including a serious board crisis. In October, Ajax were even in last place in the Eredivisie. Under new coach John van 't Schip, Ajax has now improved to fifth place after a historically poor start to the season. However, they are already 23 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Brian Brobbey and Chuba Akpom scored in the 83rd and 88th minutes to reduce a 2-0 deficit late on, but Mats Grotenbreg scored the winner for the underdogs in stoppage time to complete the sensation.
"That shouldn't have happened," said Ajax assistant coach Michael Valkanis after the game. He stood in for head coach van 't Schip, who is in Australia for his son's wedding. "We are going through a very difficult season. But we have to keep working and get everything back on track," said Valkanis.
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Source: www.stern.de
