Nedved brilliance secures Juventus win at Ajax
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-16 09:56

Juventus playmaker Pavel Nedved conjured up a moment of brilliance to score the only goal as his hard-working side beat Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 in their opening Champions League Group C match on Wednesday.

 Nedved got what proved to be the winner three minutes before halftime with a delightful chip into the top corner with the outside of his right foot. He was set up by Mauro Camoranesi who was fed by a delicately chipped Alessandro Del Piero pass.

 "We played a great first half and only came under pressure in the first 20 minutes of the second half," said Juve coach Fabio Capello. "I'm satisfied because we started the season with two difficult away games and won both, that gives confidence."

 Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Maccabi Tel Aviv in the other match in the group thanks to a second-half Roy Makaay penalty.

 Ajax had started the match with young Romania forward Nicolae Mitea instead of new signing Mauro Rosales, who has a groin injury, while Capello preferred former Ajax ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front to David Trezeguet.

 But it was Ajax striker Wesley Sonck, who has taken over from Ibrahimovic since his departure, who almost opened the scoring in the first few minutes as he crashed a swerving 25-metre drive against the bar with Gianluigi Buffon beaten.

 IN CONTROL

 From that moment on Juve took control although they rarely threatened the Ajax defence, in which central defender Zdenek Grygera and Nigel de Jong on the right stood out, and after half-an-hour Buffon was tested again as he saved from Mitea.

 "In the first half we forgot to play our game," said an unhappy Koeman. "We used the long ball too much and weren't capable of keeping the ball up front. Without the ball you lose control and you have to move back."

 Ajax battled gamely following the break and eight minutes into the second half they wasted their best chance to level the match as Mitea's cross reached Steven Pienaar only for Buffon, with help from his defenders, to clear the danger.

 The Juve keeper was called on again minutes later to clear attempts by Rafael van der Vaart and Sonck before Ajax began to take risks with an extra striker, Yannis Anastasiou, and winger, Tom de Mul, although they never seriously threatened to score.

 "This is a disappointing start and I think that we deserved more based on our play in the second half," said Koeman.

 "We had no luck with our finishing touch after the break because in that phase we played like we wanted to."

 His verdict was harsh on Capello's side who worked very hard to deny Ajax time and space and deserved to hold on to the lead provided by Nedved's 26th goal in European competition as they got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start. 

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