27 Mar 2014: AZ - Ajax

[Kowalczyk]

KNVB Cup 2013-2014. Semi-final.

Kick-off time at Alkmaar's AFAS Stadium is 20:45 CET.

The other semi-final, PEC Zwolle vs NEC, was played this evening. PEC won: 2-1. They're in the final, to be played at De Kuip in Rotterdam, 20 April, 18:00 CET.

K.

[Orange14]

At long last Boilesen is back in the selection. Let's hope the leg injuries are a thing of the past.

[SPL]

Welcome back to live footy again. Hope for a win and some goals ,mind Vermeer is in goal so AZ may get lucky.

Nice to see Boilesen back and we have de Sa and Siggy playing with Bojan and Kishna on the bench.

[Orange14]

Vermeer
Boilesen, Moisander, Veltman, van Rhijn
Blind, Serero, Klaassen
Schone, Sigthorsson, de Sa

that's the starting lineup

[Orange14]

What a lame penalty call; no way that Veltman brought him down at all.

[King Litti]

Not much contact. Harsh call. Vermeer showing his good side.

[Tom_]

I'm a bit confused about what the first yellow was for...?

[King Litti]

Damn, I think we did ok before the red card. I wonder what FdB will do? Now Blind stepped down to Veltmans place. Funny that this semi feels like a final, because I think both of these teams have a good chance against Swolle, though they have had a decent season.

[SPL]

Not a penalty but I too am not sure why Veltman got his first yellow for.

[paladinby]

Schøne was the man to foul when Veltman was first booked and the penalty call was a weak one for me.

Veltman will miss the next league game if I'm right.

[Orange14]

Several dodgy calls by the match official. van Rhijn did not deserve a Yellow card as it was a 50-50 with Beerens. I guess he gave Veltman the second yellow because his man was behind him when he went down and there was not a clear look at the play. At this point I don't particularly care about the winner as long as this match doesn't go into extra time.

[SPL]

should not be extra time just penalties

[Orange14]

10 on 10 now, a real comedy is in store for us.

EDIT - Goooooooooooooooal Schone off the free kick

[Tom_]

Schöne does it again!

[SPL]

great goal but again poor referring

[King Litti]

World class by Schöne! So, the tables have turned. This ref seems unprofessional. I missed the replay, but it seemed like he was making up for the Veltman call. That is something a ref shouldn't do.

[Tom_]

It looked like he was unlucky—ankle tap, but probably not deliberate. Can see why the ref gave a yellow though.

Schöne's our player of the season. He also had that nice turn and shot and the pinpoint pass to Blind in the first half, and he's technically not even playing in his proper position.

[Van basten]

Missed 3min. of second half, and missed all the fun!
Btw, I like De Sa on the left, much more than on the right wing.

[SPL]

Well we held on and apart from getting to the final it was a great confidence boost to win the game after woeful referring to send Veltman off.

Have to say although I give him much stick Vermeer was very good tonight. Duarte should start in place of Serero

[Orange14]

One of the poorest officated matches that I've seen in some time. Cards given when they shouldn't have, and hard fouls not even called. I think it pretty much evened out for both sides as both FdB and Advocaat were constantly yelling at the fourth official. In the end it was a bit of luck and superb goalkeeping that gave us the 1-0 win.

Player Ratings:

Vermeer (8.5) - just stopped everything that came his way and four of them were hard shots, kicked amazingly well
Boilesen (5.5) - didn't do much and was forced to defend a lot after Veltman was sent off
Moisander (7.5) - rock solid at the back
Veltman (4) - maybe he was the victim of poor officiating but he did get sent off so points come off
van Rhijn (5.5) - had some trouble with Beerens as usual
Blind (6) - lost his man several times when he moved to full back but otherwise solid
Serero (6) - drew a lot of fouls
Klaassen (5.5) - really did very little and maybe was the weakest of all the starters
de Sa (6) - decent game and played up front with Sigthorrson when it was 10 v. 10
Sigthorrson (6) - better than in past matches and showed surprisingly good ball control
Schöne (7.5) - fantastic free kick and solid play
Denswil (7) - solid game and didn't try to get too fancy with the ball
Duarte (6) - really should have put one of his two chances on frame
Poulsen (6) - came on for defense in the last 15 and did not disappoint

Twente on Sunday and it's really a match to win as PSV are really on a roll

[SPL]

Veltman misses the final and not the Twente game . Just checked on a Dutch site. Denswil actually did very well as his replacement in the 2nd half.

[Philippe]

Great game by Vermeer, of course. Hope he'll play the final.
No second yellow card nor penalty for Veltman, who did not touch the AZ striker. à la Balotelli move. I can't undertand why Blind shouted at him as he left the pitch.
On our way for the double !

[Orange14]

Great game by Vermeer, of course. Hope he'll play the final.
No second yellow card nor penalty for Veltman, who did not touch the AZ striker. à la Balotelli move. I can't undertand why Blind shouted at him as he left the pitch.
On our way for the double !

Blind probably had the same view of the play as the match official!

[Tom_]

I know red card can be appealed on the basis of mistaken identity, but I don't know if it's the same for yellow cards (or if this would even apply for Veltman's first yellow, since I never really worked out what he got it for).