Vurnon Anita’s 87th minute goal earned Dutch champions Ajax a late 2-1 win over D.C. United in a friendly match at RFK Stadium on Sunday evening.
Anita’s goal broke a 1-1 tie after Miralem Sulejmani and D.C. forward Blake Brettschneider traded goals in the first friendly pitting an MLS club against an overseas squad in 2011.
WATCH:Blake Brettschneider's goal
Vurnon Anita’s 87th minute goal earned Dutch champions Ajax a late 2-1 win over D.C. United in a friendly match at RFK Stadium on Sunday evening.
Anita’s goal broke a 1-1 tie after Miralem Sulejmani and D.C. forward Blake Brettschneider traded goals in the first friendly pitting an MLS club against an overseas squad in 2011.
WATCH:Blake Brettschneider's goal
Ajax dominated the opening 10 minutes, spraying the ball over the field and maintaining a stranglehold on possession. The start was rewarded with a goal in the 10th minute, when Nicolas Lodeiro fed forward Miralem Sulejmani in space, and he slotted a shot past DC goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
DC responded almost immediately, getting forward and looking much more dangerous. Right back Brandon Barklage tested Ajax goalie Kenneth Vermeer with a tremendous 40-yard drive that was turned away for a corner.
With the lead, Ajax sat back, and DC bossed the game as the Dutch side looked to pounce on the counter. Hamid had to be alert on a couple of occasions, including a one-on-one with Dario Cvitanich that the ‘keeper snatched off his foot.
At the start of the second half, DC coach Ben Olsen made five changes, shaking things up for the home side. Fred then had a glorious chance to equalize in the 52nd minute, played in on goal by Chris Pontius, but the Brazilian sprayed his shot wide of the frame.
The chances kept coming for D.C. In the 55th minute, Barklage came up from his right back position, his cross finding substitute Brettschneider, but Vermeer was equal to the effort.
Persistence finally paid off for Brettschneider and United in the 58th minute. Joseph Ngwenya stripped midfielder Eyong Enoh close to the Ajax box, and crossed to the rookie who finished strong to level the score.
In the 76th minute, Ajax almost took the lead again. Lorenzo Ebecilio played a one-two with Cvitanich to get behind D.C.’s back line, but substitute goalie Steve Cronin stood tall to keep the game tied.
The Dutch side found the winner in the 87th minute, as Vurnon Anita stripped Fred in midfield, dribbled into D.C.’s penalty area and fired in a now shot that beat Cronin at the far post.
Brettschneider had a chance on a set piece a minute later, but volleyed high of the goal, and Ajax held on for the win.
Lineups
D.C. UNITED: Hamid (Cronin 46'); Woolard, White, Jakovic (Korb 46'), Barklage; Najar (Brasesco 71'), Kitchen (Shanosky 76'), McCarty (Fred 46'), Pontius (King 59'); Ngwenya, Quaranta (Brettschneider 46')
Unused substitutes: Willis, Simms
AFC Ajax: Vermeer; Anita, Ooijer (Alderweireld 60'), Oleguer (Vertonghen 60'), Blind; De Zeeuw (Siem de Jong 46'), Lodeiro, Enoh; Sulejmani, Cvitanich (van der Wiel 76'), Özbiliz (Ebecilio 46').
Unused substitutes: none
Boxscore
SCORING SUMMARY:
AFC Ajax - Sulejmani 10' (Lodeiro)
D.C. United - Brettschneider 58'
AFC Ajax - Anita 87'
SHOTS:
D.C. United - 12
AFC Ajax - 11
SHOTS ON GOAL:
D.C. United - 4
AFC Ajax - 3
SAVES:
D.C. United - 1
AFC Ajax - 3
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
Lorenzo Ebecilio - caution 69'
FOULS:
D.C. United - 11
AFC Ajax - 4
Referee: Mark Geiger
Assistants: Sean Hurd, Kermit Quisenberry
4th official: John McClosky
Attendance: 10,728
