Huntelaar stars as Ajax hit five
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Article summary
IK Start 2-5 AFC Ajax Two goals from Klaas Jan Huntelaar book-ended a fine attacking performance from the Dutch Eredivisie outfit in Norway.
Article body
AFC Ajax will feel that they have one foot in the UEFA Cup group stage after earning a tremendous 5-2 win against IK Start in Norway.
Exemplary display
After losing out to Danish side FC København in UEFA Champions League qualifying, the Amsterdam giants were determined to avoid another slip-up in this UEFA Cup first-round tie and produced an exemplary display of attacking football to ensure they will start the return leg at the Amsterdam ArenA in a fortnight's time with five away goals to their name.
Opening strike
Klaas Jan Huntelaar got the visitors off to the ideal start with the opening goal of the game after 17 minutes, but Start were not too disheartened, levelling through a fine Marius Johnsen effort eleven minutes later. However, as Ajax grew in confidence, Swede Markus Rosenberg put them back in front two minutes before the interval.
Closing flurry
Undeterred, Start got back on level terms ten minutes after half-time, with Geir Fevang finishing at the far post, but the visitors turned up the pressure with Wesley Sneijder and Roger García scoring a goal apiece in the space of four minutes before Huntelaar rounded off a fine night's work for Ajax with an 87th-minute strike after great work from Ryan Babel.
