Kids watch Alkmaar account for Ajax in cup
Reuters - Thursday 19 January 2012, 16:06
Rasmus Elm's
second-half penalty secured AZ Alkmaar a 3-2 victory over Ajax
Amsterdam in a Dutch Cup replay watched only by noisy
schoolchildren in the Amsterdam Arena on Thursday.
The original tie was abandoned on December 21 shortly before
half-time after a fan invaded the pitch and attacked Alkmaar
goalkeeper Esteban.
Esteban retaliated and was sent off but his red card was
rescinded and Ajax were forced to replay the game in an empty
stadium.
Ajax asked the Dutch football association (KNVB) to allow
women and children to attend the match but the ruling body
decided that only the latter would be permitted because of a
national law of comparable treatment for men and women.
Roared on by some 20,000 vociferous youngsters, Siem de Jong
put Ajax ahead after 10 minutes from a superb pass from
Christian Eriksen.
Alkmaar hit back when Charlison Benschop set up Maarten
Martens for the equaliser 14 minutes later and then playmaker
Elm set up Benschop to fire the away side ahead.
A blunder from Esteban then allowed De Jong to equalise on
37 minutes, but Alkmaar scored the decisive goal 10 minutes into
the second half when Elm converted a penalty after Toby
Alderweireld handled.
Alkmaar will host amateurs GVVV Veenendaal in
the quarter-finals.