Ten-man Twente claim second Dutch Super Cup

FC Twente got their 2011/12 campaign off to the perfect start by winning the Dutch Super Cup for only the second time after a 2-1 victory against AFC Ajax 2-1 at the Amsterdam Arena.

Titleholders Ajax had the better of the early exchanges, with Miralem Sulejmani denied by goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov, and Christian Eriksen crashing a header against the crossbar. However, it was last season's Dutch Cup winners who took the lead after 21 minutes when Theo Janssen – last season at Twente – fouled Luuk de Jong, enabling Marc Janko to convert the resultant penalty.

Kolbeinn Sighthórsson came close for Ajax on the half-hour mark, but again Mihaylov came to the rescue with a reflex save. Two minutes into the second half, Twente were reduced to ten men when Steven Berghuis received a second yellow card for simulation, and Ajax took full advantage, defender Toby Alderweireld striking a superb long-range drive into the top corner of the net in the 54th minute.

Despite the double setback, Twente restored their lead midway through the second half when substitute Bryan Ruiz tricked his way through Ajax's rearguard and struck a curling shot past Kenneth Vermeer. UEFA Champions League group stage entrants Ajax came close to an equaliser, through Derk Boerrigter and Sulejmani, but Mihaylov again stood tall and Twente held on to clinch their second successive Johan Cruyff Shield.

"Winning obviously pleases me a lot, but the way we did it pleases me a lot less," said Twente coach Co Adriaanse. "I like to play attacking, attractive football, but today we did not do that. Ruiz was the only one who kept the ball in the second half, and he also scored the winner."