Saturday, May 7, 2011

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08.05. (Sun) 18:00 Twente - Ajax

DID YOU KNOW?

* Both of these sides are also the contenders for the Eredivisie title. That will be decided in a head to head clash next week at the Amsterdam ArenA.

* Siem de Jong of Ajax will come up against his brother Luuk in Twente colours.

* Twente have conceded just three goals in the KNVB Beker.

* The Tukkers last won the Dutch cup in 2001 when they beat PSV after penalties.

* Nacer Chadli, Luuk de Jong and Theo Janssen are Twente's leading goalscorers in the tournament with three goals each.

* Shot stopper Sander Boschker is one of only two players to have featured in all five games.

* Young winger Chadli has already made 48 official appearances for the Enschede side this season.

* Ajax have conceded only twice in this year's KNVB Beker, with one of those goals being an own goal from defender Daley Blind.

* The Godenzonen have so far won 18 KNVB Beker finals.

* Siem de Jong, Mounir el Hamdaoui and Miralem Sulejmani have all scored three goals in the tournament so far.

* The Amsterdam side have a fine disciplinary record; only six players were booked in five games, while no red cards were given to Ajax players.

* Ajax have already played 53 official matches in the 2010-11 campaign.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Twente (4-3-3)
Boschker; Rosales, Wisgerhof, Douglas, Buysse; Landzaat, Brama, Janssen; Ruiz, L. De Jong, Chadli.

Head coach Michel Preud'homme doesn't have too many injury worries ahead of Sunday's KNVB Beker final and will be able to field what can be considered to be his best XI. Young full-back Nicky Kuiper is the only absentee, while tricky winger Emir Bajrami isn't fully match fit, but is expected to make the match squad.

Ajax (4-3-3)
Vermeer; Van der Wiel, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Boilesen; De Zeeuw, Eriksen, Anita; Sulejmani, S. De Jong, Ebecilio. 

Frank de Boer will have to make do without the services of first choice goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg in De Kuip, but has a more than capable back-up available with Kenneth Vermeer. Swedish midfielder Rasmus Lindgren will also miss the match due to injury while Mounir el Hamdaoui is doubtful. Miralem Sulejmani missed Wednesday's squad training, but is expected to feature.

Prediction
Neither of the two teams have been in great form in the past few weeks, but they've both recorded several consecutive wins. Ajax's hot streak could come to an end on Sunday though as the individual class of Bryan Ruiz and Theo Janssen could prove to be too much for them. The Tukkers aren't likely to concede more than once because of their excellent organisation and Twente could very well leave De Kuip celebrating after a narrow in an entertaining match.

Twente 2-1 Ajax