Stekelenburg setback for Ajax
Monday, August 1, 2005
Article summary
AFC Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and defender Hatem Trabelsi were injured in a pre-season tournament.
Article body
'Biggest loss'
The Dutch runners-up saw the pair collide in the second half of last night’s 1-0 defeat by CA Boca Juniors, causing Ajax a headache for their forthcoming UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie. "I can live with the fact that we didn't play so well, but losing two starters is the biggest loss of the evening," said Ajax coach Danny Blind.
Shoulder injury
The 28-year-old Trabelsi suffered concussion and may be missing for up to two weeks while Stekelenburg, 22, sustained a shoulder injury and will be out for two to three months, meaning he will miss the start of the Eredivisie season as well as the tie against either FC Dinamo Tbilisi or Brøndby IF, with the Danish champions holding a 2-0 advantage after a first-leg victory in Georgia last week.
Opening matches
Blind's men had lost 1-0 to Arsenal FC on Friday night, with the English side winning the tournament with a 2-1 success against FC Porto yesterday. Ajax will enter the Champions League on either 9/10 August with the return following a fortnight afterwards. The Dutch season begins on 12 August, with Ajax first in action two days later when they receive ADO Den Haag.
