Goals And Goals Again

January 30 – The 19th round of the Eredivisie. 

Ajax faced off against Den Haag at home, with fans filling the Amsterdam Arena, eager to see Yang Yang back in action after a week's absence. Anticipation buzzed through the crowd; Yang Yang's return to the lineup had been the main talking point leading up to the game. 

Ahead of the match, Yang Yang shared his excitement in an interview on Ajax's official website, expressing his impatience to get back onto the field and deliver for the fans. 

For this match, Ronald Koeman reverted to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 formation, fielding a formidable front three of Pienaar, Charisteas, and Yang Yang. As the game kicked off, Yang Yang was immediately active, moving freely across the front line, his energy palpable. 

Just four minutes in, Yang Yang made his first decisive impact. Appearing centrally, he received a precise cross from Pienaar on the left. With a defender at his back, Yang Yang held his ground, using his body to shield the ball before charging forward into Den Haag's 30-meter zone. 

Sensing the danger, a Den Haag midfielder lunged in with a tackle, but Yang Yang skillfully sidestepped, keeping possession and advancing deeper. Approaching the box, Den Haag's two central defenders converged, attempting to cut him off. But Yang Yang was quicker, deftly flicking the ball past them with his left foot before accelerating past their defensive line. 

"Beautiful footwork!" the commentator exclaimed. 

"Yang Yang dribbles through the center, gliding past three Den Haag players and creating a one-on-one with the goalkeeper!" 

Yang Yang didn't hesitate. As he approached the edge of the penalty area, he composed himself and struck the ball cleanly with his right foot. 

"Goal!!!" 

"Gooooooal!!!" 

In the fifth minute, Yang Yang had already set the Amsterdam Arena alight, delivering an electrifying solo goal that saw him dribble past three defenders before finishing clinically. 

The stadium erupted. Over 50,000 fans stood in unison, their cheers reverberating throughout the arena. Yang Yang sprinted to the corner flag, dropping to his knees and raising his gaze to the sea of supporters around him. The chants of "Yang Yang! Yang Yang!" thundered down from the stands, filling the air with a powerful sense of admiration. 

Yang Yang couldn't help but laugh in joy. He hadn't expected such a smooth return, and Den Haag's defense, while not weak, hadn't been able to match his newfound pace and power. 

He could feel his strength growing, reflected in the explosive acceleration he had just showcased. An energy seemed to be building within him, an uncontainable force ready to burst forth. 

Yang Yang knew that he was reaching a turning point in his abilities. His confidence surged, and he felt that with each game, he was edging closer to his full potential, ready to take on new heights. 

... 

... 

"This kid!" Ronald Koeman chuckled, shaking his head in admiration. 

The coaching staff had noticed Yang Yang's sharp form during pre-match training, attributing it to a week of pent-up energy from missing the last game. But none of them had expected him to deliver such a spectacular goal so early in the match—dribbling past three defenders with such confidence. 

"He's going to give Adelaar a headache!" assistant coach Ruud Krol laughed. 

Frans Adelaar, the current head coach of ADO Den Haag and former manager of Utrecht, had been visibly tense from the start. At Krol's comment, Koeman turned to glance at the opposing bench. 

Sure enough, Adelaar's expression was grim. Conceding in the first five minutes was the last thing he'd wanted; it put his team on the back foot right from the outset. This early goal threatened to set the tone for a heavy defeat. 

Adelaar quickly moved to the sideline, urging his players to stay calm and hold their defensive positions, trying to prevent Ajax from capitalizing on their momentum. 

But on the pitch, Ajax players surged with confidence, maintaining their pressure and control over the game's tempo. Their morale was sky-high, with Yang Yang's early strike energizing the entire team. 

... 

... 

As the game approached the 28th minute, Yang Yang received a well-placed pass from Maicon near the right touchline, just inches from the goal line. Swiftly controlling the ball, he drove forward, heading toward the box and reaching the edge of the penalty area. With a sharp, inverted-triangle pass, Yang Yang cut the ball back to the penalty spot, where Sneijder, timing his arrival perfectly, struck it first-time, driving the ball cleanly into the net in a seamless, well-executed move. 

2-0! 

Ajax had firm control of the game, dominating the field with fluid, high-tempo play. 

As the first half drew to a close, a clever combination play unfolded on the left flank between Pienaar and Maxwell. Pienaar, finding an opening, delivered a diagonal pass behind Den Haag's defensive line, expertly lofted to catch them off guard. 

Yang Yang darted into the penalty area at full speed, leaning forward as he chased down the pass. Sensing the danger, Den Haag's goalkeeper made an audacious decision, rushing off his line to intercept. But Yang Yang, perfectly composed, cushioned the pass with a deft left-footed touch, the ball seeming to cling to his foot in one smooth motion. As the keeper lunged forward, Yang Yang sidestepped gracefully, letting him dive into open air. With calm precision, Yang Yang tapped the ball into the empty net, completing a brilliant solo effort. 

3-0! 

A brace for Yang Yang! 

The stadium erupted in thunderous cheers as fans rose to their feet, chanting Yang Yang's name in celebration. Ecstatic, he raced to the sideline, dropping to his knees to savor the moment of his second goal of the match. 

This goal marked his 14th in the Eredivisie this season, underscoring his incredible form and thrilling the home crowd once again. 

... 

... 

With a commanding 3-0 lead from the first half, Den Haag made two substitutions at halftime in an effort to turn the game around. Meanwhile, Yang Yang, who had already scored twice and provided an assist, was given a well-deserved rest in the 60th minute, replaced by De Mul. 

In the 86th minute, Ajax earned a corner. Rising to the occasion, Vermaelen, the Belgian center-back, leaped to meet the ball and directed it into the net, extending Ajax's lead to 4-0. Vermaelen's knack for scoring from set pieces had bolstered his reputation as a "defender with a knife," solidifying his place in Ajax's backline this season. 

When the final whistle blew, Ajax claimed a resounding 4-0 victory over Den Haag, securing three valuable points thanks to Yang Yang's stellar performance. 

After this round, Alkmaar maintained their lead at the top with 46 points, having collected a win and a draw since the winter break. Close behind, Ajax and PSV Eindhoven were tied with 45 points, both enjoying consecutive victories. Due to goal difference, Ajax found themselves in third place, just behind PSV. Meanwhile, Feyenoord struggled, picking up only a single point from their last two matches (one draw and one loss), dropping to fourth place with a total of 35 points. 

Yang Yang's two goals propelled him to 14 goals this season, drawing level with Feyenoord's star striker, Dirk Kuyt, in the Eredivisie's top scorer list. The Dutch football community was abuzz with excitement and speculation, with many predicting Yang Yang could become Ajax's youngest top scorer in the league since Johan Cruyff. 

In other matches, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink celebrated a hat-trick, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar found the net once, bringing them both to 12 goals each. However, Kenneth Perez and Salomon Kalou, who had shone in the season's first half, had yet to score since the winter break. 

Beyond his goal tally, Yang Yang had also reached nine assists, edging closer to achieving double figures in both goals and assists—a feat that underscored his all-around impact. 

While Yang Yang's form continued to impress, Kuyt's performance drew mixed reactions. The seasoned Dutch forward, who debuted with Utrecht and had been leading the scoring charts with 14 goals and 7 assists, faced a rough patch. Scoring only once in his last four league appearances, Kuyt's lead was quickly eroded by Yang Yang and others like Hesselink and Huntelaar, who were closing in. 

The anticipation only intensified with the 20th round on the horizon, as Ajax prepared to host Feyenoord in a high-stakes showdown. Fans and analysts alike were buzzing with predictions and comparisons between Yang Yang, the young sensation, and Kuyt, the established Dutch star, setting the stage for an exciting face-off in Amsterdam. 

... 

... 

February 6 – 20th round of the Eredivisie 

Ajax hosted Feyenoord at the Amsterdam Arena, with tensions running high. Feyenoord, once atop the standings, had slipped to fourth place, leading to growing doubts about head coach Ruud Gullit's strategies. Determined to turn things around, Gullit entered this match with a clear resolve to defeat Ajax. 

From the opening whistle, both teams played with intensity, unreserved and fully committed. The game quickly turned into an open, attacking display. 

Continuing his exceptional form from the previous round, Yang Yang struck first. In the 13th minute, he received a well-placed pass from right-back Maicon near the edge of the penalty area. With precision, he took a low shot with his right foot, sending the ball skimming into the bottom corner and putting Ajax in the lead. 

The goal ignited the Amsterdam Arena, with fans roaring as Yang Yang edged ahead of Kuyt in the Eredivisie scorer list. 

But the lead was short-lived. Nine minutes later, Kuyt responded in kind, capitalizing on a pinpoint assist from Kalou to level the score. Once again, the two teams—and their star strikers—were neck and neck, and the rivalry intensified as they returned to equal footing. 

As halftime neared, Ajax mounted another offensive. Maxwell delivered a well-weighted cross from the left, and Charisteas rose to meet it, heading the ball home from close range to restore Ajax's lead. 

After the break, Feyenoord quickly fought back. Kuyt struck again, finding the net to equalize and reclaiming the lead in the scoring race. It was a thrilling back-and-forth, each player determined to outdo the other. 

But Ajax didn't wait long to respond. Just a minute later, Yang Yang spearheaded a swift counterattack down the right, setting up Sneijder with a perfectly-timed pass. Sneijder converted with ease, making it 3-2 and pushing Yang Yang's season assists to double digits—an impressive achievement, with both his goals and assists now in double figures. 

With the lead restored, Ajax maintained control, capitalizing on Feyenoord's increasingly impatient play. Yang Yang stayed active and tenacious, creating pressure and seeking scoring opportunities. 

In the 60th minute, Yang Yang signaled to the sideline, catching Koeman's attention. "I want to stay on," he said with determination. "I want to score again." 

Having fought hard to catch Kuyt in the scoring race, Yang Yang wasn't about to let his rival pull ahead. Koeman and Krol respected his ambition and allowed him to stay on the pitch. 

"Stay patient," Krol reminded him. "The chance will come." 

Yang Yang nodded, his focus unwavering. 

As the game resumed, Yang Yang's drive was evident. His teammates, understanding his determination, supported him, creating opportunities and guiding the play to his side. Feyenoord's defenders, weary from relentless marking, began to show signs of fatigue. 

In the 70th minute, Sneijder spotted an opening and sent a pass down the right to Maicon. The Brazilian surged forward, carrying the ball to the edge of the box before laying it off to Yang Yang at the top of the penalty area. 

Receiving the ball, Yang Yang quickly turned inward, but Feyenoord's left-back shadowed him, while a defensive midfielder closed in, crowding the space. 

Yang Yang shifted gears, feinting left before making a sudden right-footed pullback, catching the defender off guard. In a fluid motion, he switched to his left foot, curling a shot toward the far post. 

The ball sailed over the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Gábor Babos and nestled perfectly in the top corner. 

4-2! 

A brace for Yang Yang, tying him with Kuyt once more at the top of the scorer list! 

The Amsterdam Arena erupted, fans chanting Yang Yang's name as he celebrated his second goal. His resilience and relentless pursuit of victory had paid off, keeping him in contention for the Eredivisie's top scorer title in one of the league's most thrilling races.