Tottenham Hotspur U21 1-5 Ajax U21 (Premier League International Cup Group Stages)
You can’t mention Spurs v Ajax without the name of Lucas Moura propping up, the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-final was all but done and dusted until the Brazilian etched his way into Lillywhite folklore.
The Spurs team that featured on the day included just one player who had appearances in their Academy, in Danny Rose who they brought from Leeds United as a youngster, whilst Moura stood in for the most famous of them all in Harry Kane who was injured on the night, the understudy didn’t do too bad in scoring a hat-trick to help turn around a three goal deficit into an away goals win in Amsterdam.
Spurs would be beaten by Liverpool in the final of course but Ajax were tipped by many to go all the way that season, after upsetting the odds, to produce some scintillating football under then Manager Erik ten Hag. They had a mixture of young and old with no less than six starters from their academy system, the conveyor belt of talent they produce is up there with the world’s best, and on my last viewing a few weeks back at Wolves, that looks to be continuing with the current crop.
This’ll be my last football outing of the year as Christmas approaches, the wife has made plans for me for every day until New Years Day with friends and family and no doubt some odd jobs around the house to do, so I’m already counting the hours until 2025 and my next football fix, I'm hoping the next week or so flies by.
Tonight’s game is being played at the Lamex Stadium in Stevenage, I’m out the door at 3pm as it’s a 2 hour drive from my house, a 7pm kick off but as I head down the A1, part of the reason I’m leaving early is because Stevenage has a huge M&S outside the ground, a bit of Xmas shopping for my pre-match which includes some overpriced mince pies, a bottle of champagne and a biscuit tin that lights up.
The Venue
You can park at Roaring Meg Retail Park for up to 4 hours which I think is very useful on matchdays, not only does the place have a huge M&S but a Nando’s and a Burger King for a pre-match bite before walking through the daunting looking, but not really that bad underpass below the A602.
The ground lit up on the side of a dual carriageway (called Broadhall Way) is basic from the outside, not much to look at, but inside you get the feel of a proper lower league football home, modern and British, sleek, red and white seated, grey roofed.
It had a bit of work following promotion to the football league in 2010 and now feels more than adequate to host clubs of the magnitude of Spurs and Ajax and their stars of tomorrow. As I sit back at the top row of the Main Stand with my paper cup of tea and Twix you get a good view of the East Terrace opposite, the two ends behind each goal almost identical, tonight there's just a few hundred here but the capacity can hold over 7,000.
The Game
It's my first viewing of Spurs who have had a few of their young players including Alfie Dorrington and Will Lankshear feature for their first team this week, so they aren't at full strength which has been noted, as Ajax look every bit as strong as they did when I watched them play at Molineux.
The Dutch side play out from the back, inviting the press, cutting through the Spurs front line to get their own attackers one on one with defenders, off the ball they press bloody hard themselves and it's a fast start, the young Spurs team have to be on their toes as they themselves play quickly in getting back to front, but they soon struggle to keep up with the pace.
On 13 Jaydon Balen who is a player I like, tricks and teases whilst getting to the edge of the area, he shoots low and gives Ajax the lead with a belter.
Balen is the talisman as every time he gets the ball he poses problems, the front man has had a couple of pot shots before Rayane Bounida dances into the box to add a second, then straight from the kick off, Ajax move the ball with slick defence splitting passes as they carve through Spurs to grab a third, Kalokoh passing to Banel who has an empty net from close range, he cannot miss, a few Spurs fans decide to get up and walk down to the tea bar, there's only 24 minutes played.
The Score
In fairness to Spurs, they pick themselves up, a few of their lads have been bright, most are very technically gifted, but Jong Ajax are of course a second string side in Dutch football, they play in the Eerste Divisie which is in comparison to the Championship in England (tier two), you feel they are streets ahead of Spurs, tactically each and everyone knows their jobs and they all work in synch perfectly within their fluid 4-3-3.
At half time with a three goal lead Frank Peereboom makes a couple of changes and that encourages Spurs to have a bit of a go from the off. Tottenham win a penalty on 49 when Irow is bundled over, the number nine stepping up confidently to smash home the spot kick.
But Ajax aren't thwarted, in wind and rain, unplayable conditions really, they play really well and think forward first in all their possession, carving out more chances before a slice of luck, van der Pavert, a centre half finding himself on the right wing, crossing a looper that swirls above the crossbar, Aaron Maguire only managing to glove it into his own net, in fairness to the keeper the ball looked to had gone out of play, but the linesman who didn't have his best night, was miles away, a few fans hurling abuse at him for not being at his fittest.
There was still time for a name that both Spurs and Ajax know very much about, to grab more headlines, as van der Vaart grabbed a fifth, a neat and slick move, finished with Jan Faberski dinking one up to the on rushing midfielder who guided his header into the corner, Damian van der Vaart, the son of Rafael who played famously for both clubs, crowning a fantastic night with a goal pic to add to the Christmas family album.
The Stars
Ajax were strong all over the park, their half English goalkeeper Charlie Setford holding everything that came his way in tricky conditions, his passing is brilliant and he's very calm under pressure, seems to make good decisions too. In defence, the fast and small Gerald Alders got forward from right back, left back Jorthy Mokio impressed me defensively, he reads things well and is of good size although may lack a bit of quality in the final third, the cultured van de Pavert is effortless at centre half whilst next to him, the huge Dies Janse can certainly ping a ball very hard and very straight.
The midfield of Ajax was probably key to a lot of their success on the night and in Sean Steur they have someone combative and clever enough to tick things along neatly or nastily depending on occurence, Belgian born number ten Rayane Bounida has lovely feet and a danger in and around the box, out wide their number seven Jan Faberski grew in the game, small in size he's technical and talented, whilst Jaydon Banel reminds me slightly of Victor Osimhen, a true predator in attack, but he has much more to his game than just goals.
For Spurs, they came up against a super strong outfit but had many impress despite their heavy loss, Maeson King never gave up at centre half next to the socks rolled down defender William Andiyapan who also looked like he could play a bit, in midfield their number six and captain Max Robson had moments, driving forward he's big and powerful, number eight Tyrese Hall was very technical and talented, Leo Black their number ten creative too, whilst out wide they had more fast feet on the right with Miracle Adewole and on the left in Tynan Thompson who did at least cut in and get an effort off, I was particularly impressed with Jamel Beggs however, who came on with the game a lost cause, he ran his socks off and shown tigerish talent in the middle of the park. One to watch at just seventeen years old.
The Verdict
Tottenham stay bottom of their Premier League International Cup group without a point from three games played, Ajax have played all their four matches now but miss out on qualification themselves, so neither team will win it this year, but for both clubs, the experience rather than the winning is essential in growing their own ability further, and that's what matters most, next year will be mostly a new crop from both teams as some will leave for better or worse, but one thing is for sure, the talent will continue to be top notch.
Happy Christmas everyone. Here's to an even bigger and better 2025.
The Teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Aaron Maguire, Tyrell Ashcroft (Reiss Elliott-Parris 84), Maxwell McKnight, Maeson King, William Andiyapan (Harry Byrne 76), Max Robson, Miracle Adewole (Oyindamola Ajayi 63), Tyrese Hall, Oliver Irow (Jaden Williams 63), Leo Black (Jamel Beggs 64), Tynan Thompson (Yusuf Akhamrich 63).
Ajax: Charlie Setford, Gerald Alders, Ryan van de Pavert, Dies Janse (Mylo van der Lans 80), Jorthy Mokio (Lucas Jetten 46), Mark Verkuijl (Janeiro Johnson 64), Jan Faberski, Sean Steur (Lasse Abilgaard 79), Jaydon Banel, Rayane Bounida (Damian van der Vaart 69), David Kalokoh (Luca Messori 46).
7:00pm Kick Off. Wednesday 18th December 2024, Broadhall Way, Stevenage (att 362).
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