Dmitry Bulykin and Nicolas Lodeiro’s strikes in the second-half earned the defending Dutch champions a deserving victory over the hosts.
On Saturday, February 11, Ajax Amsterdam recorded a deserving 2-0 victory against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/NAC-Breda-c39983 at Rat Verlegh Stadion.
The Breda outfit commenced proceedings at home brightly, and came close to breaking the deadlock in the fifth minute. Robbert Schilder’s corner found Eric Botteghin unmarked in the box, but the 24-year-old’s effort hit the crossbar before going out for a
goal kick.
The Amsterdam giants thereafter controlled the game and almost took the lead when http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jelle-ten-Rouwelaar-c18282.
In the 26th minute, Dmitry Bulykin should have broken the deadlock, but failed to make contact with the ball inside the box. The hosts threatened the defending Dutch champions for a moment when Omer Bayram connected http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Santi-c32503 Kolk’s cross, but his
effort went wide of the target, much to the relief of Ajax’s boss, Frank de Boer.
The Amsterdammers were unlucky to remain goalless at the half-time break despite remaining the better of the two sides on the pitch.
Five minutes into the second-half, Bulykin went close to breaking the deadlock when his effort crashed into the underside of the crossbar before the home side managed to make the clearance.
However, the Russian ace eventually managed to add his name to the score-sheet in the 68th minute. The veteran striker dispossessed Romano Koenders before rounding the goalkeeper to coolly hit the back of the net.
Four minutes later, Ten Rouwelaar managed to punch away Christian Eriksen’s effort to keep his side’s hopes of securing a good result alive. However, the Amsterdammers continued to dominate proceedings on the pitch.
They were rewarded for their consistent pressure in the closing stages of the match when Nicolas Lodeiro made an impressive run from halfway and powered his shot into the back of the net to seal the game 2-0 in Ajax’s favour.
The Amsterdammers recorded their first victory of 2012 and the three points ensured that they do not drop down further than the sixth spot, eight points behind the current league leaders, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/PSV-c40281 Eindhoven.
Occupying the 15th spot in the Eredivisie table, NAC remain six points clear of the relegation zone. They will battle against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/NEC-c40018 Nijmegen
at Amsterdam Arena on February 19.
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