Fact is, playing in European competitions is not an evenly balanced affair. Ajax spent on one player (Sulejmani) more than our team did in the last five seasons put together. Implicitly, seeing how the teams do not fight with the same weapons, so to say, then I reckon it is allowed for the teams to fight in different styles. Sure, an ultra-defensive game is not a joy to behold, but it is an efficient way to get the most out of what you have available. It just makes sense that the burden of proof should lie on the team with the bigger budget, so any failure to create a spectacle is foremost to be blamed on that team. That is, if anyone is up for assigning blame, because in the end, it's all football.
The white-violets did a splendid job defending in front of a superior Ajax eleven, and they even created a couple of good opportunities, but first Parks couldn't reach a Bucur cross in the 40th minute, and then Stekelenburg saved an excellent shot from Goga, in the 48th minute. The home side had two very good periods in the first half, after the start of the match and around the 20th minute, when they piled on the pressure, but the Poli defence and Pantilimon did well to keep the ball out of goal. In the second half, particularly after Parks' substitution, it became harder for the white-violets to keep possession and Ajax controlled the match completely, but the nifty feet of Suarez, Pantelic, Cvitanich and Sulejmani had no solutions against the crowded Poli defence.
The end result is a great one for Poli, as we managed to grab a draw in one of the most prestigious football stadiums in the world. Any sacrifice is worth that, particularly in our debut year in the Europa League groups.
Poli: Pantilimon (7) - Bonfim (6,5), Mera (7), Nibombe (7), Art. Karamyan (6) - Goga (6), Alexa (6,5), Bourceanu (6,5), Curtean (5,5) - Bucur (5,5), Parks (6)
Substitutions:
Stancu (5,5) for Parks (min 59)
Ionescu (5,5) for Curtean (min 66)
Poparadu for Goga (min 83)
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