Auxerre
and Ajax Amsterdam were paired in the Quarterfinals of the 1992/93 UEFA Cup.
The
French squad managed by their long-serving Manager Guy Roux were consistent
UEFA Cup qualifiers despite their limited financial means.
The
squad was not made of stars, but shone as a collective unit.
They
had qualified from their opening rounds by defeating Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv
Plovdiv (2-2, 7-1), Denmark’s FC Copenhagen (2-0, 5-0 at home) and Belgium’s
Standard Liege (2-2, 2-1).
Ajax,
under the Management of Louis van Gaal, were the defending UEFA Cup Champions.
The
squad contained a host of internationals and many future greats.
Dennis
Bergkamp was the jewel in the crown. He and teammate Wim Jonk had just secured
a lucrative transfer to Internazionale Milano for the following season.
They
had qualified from their opening rounds by defeating Austria’s Salzburg (3-0,
3-1 at home), Portugal’s Vitoria Guimaraes (3-0, 2-1 at home) and Germany’s
Kaiserslautern (2-o at home, 1-0).
It
was a battle of two Footballing skills with emphasis on youth development and
4-3-3 formation.
The
first leg, on March 3rd, was played at Auxerre’s Stade
de l'Abbé-Deschamps.
Auxerre
had been under some difficulty in the League and had lost five straight
matches. In the days leading up to this tie, Guy Roux signed a new five-year
contract.
Roux
had been beset by public criticism from his own players. Team Captain William
Prunier, due to their poor League form, had been besieged by jeers. He
threatened to walk out of the French League altogether.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Daniel Dutuel and Danny Blind, March 3, 1993,
UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
 |
Photo
From: Le Livre d'or du Football 1993
(Gerard
Baticle, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2)
|
Winger
Christophe Cocard had complained of Roux’s brand of Management. He claimed the
paternal Roux treated the players like children. They had no freedom and
liberties under him. He likened going
to training like working at a factory.
Roux
resolved the situation (after his new 5 year contract in hand) by authorizing
Prunier to leave at end of season and threatened Cocard with dismissal.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2448, March 9, 1993
(Sonny
Silooy and Pascal Vahirua, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2)
|
Auxerre
were behind as early as the third minute, when a free kick taken by Jonk from
the left, was slightly touched on by Vink and fell for Pettersson to score. At
this point it may have looked like the more experienced Ajax side would go and
win by even more goals.
However,
Auxerre leaving aside their poor domestic form continued to attack.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2448, March 9, 1993
(Marc Overmars and Daniel Dutuel, March 3, 1993,
UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2448, March 9, 1993
(March
3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2)
|
In
the 17th minute they leveled the score. A corner from left by Dutuel
was headed back across and former Ajax defender Franck Verlaat volleyed it.
Stanley Menzo should have saved it, but went past him.
Auxerre
went ahead in the 43rd from a beautifully curled free kick scored by
Corentin Martins.
However,
just before halftime, Bergkamp found Marciano Vink and he smashed his shot
home.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Daniel Dutuel and Marciano Vink, March 3, 1993,
UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Corentin Martins scoring Auxerre’s second goal
from free kick, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
Undeterred
in the second half, the home team continued attacking and were finally rewarded
in the 82nd minute through another error by Menzo.
Pascal
Vahirua took a corner from the right side, Menzo tried to punch it clear but
instead he deflected it in.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2448, March 9, 1993
(Daniel Dutuel, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre
4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
 |
Photo
From: L’Annee du Football 1993
(Corentin Martins celebrating, March 3, 1993,
UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2) |
The
rout was complete in the 90th minute, by the impressive Dutuel.
Martins from the middle passed to Laslandes who in turn sent Dutuel clear to go
and score the fourth.
This
was Ajax’s first defeat in Europe after 18 matches.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Daniel
Dutuel scoring Auxerre’s fourth goal, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax
Amsterdam 2)
|
Auxerre
defenders Alain Goma and Stephane Mazzolini had successfully controlled
Overmars and Bergkamp throughout the match.
Prunier
declared the win justified the virtues of a 4-3-3 formation.
Guy
Roux believed that Ajax had taken them lightly and had not expected an
aggressive attacking game from them.
However,
the tie was not over and a (2-0) win at home was not beyond Ajax’s
capabilities.
 |
Photo
From: L’Annee du Football 1993
(Auxerre
players celebrating, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre 4-Ajax Amsterdam 2)
|
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Hors Serie 14, 1993
(Daniel
Dutuel after scoring Auxerre’s fourth goal, March 3, 1993, UEFA Cup, Auxerre
4-Ajax Amsterdam 2)
|
March 3, 1993
Association
de La Jeunesse Auxerroise (France) 4-Amsterdamsche Football
Club Ajax (Holland) 2
UEFA
Cup- Quarter Finals, First Leg
Venue: Auxerre-Stade
de l'Abbé-Deschamps
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Arcangelo Pezzella (Italy)
Goalscorers: (Auxerre): Franck Verlaat
17th, Corentin Martins 43rd,
Pascal Vahirua 82nd, Daniel Dutuel 90th
(Ajax): Stefan Pettersson 3rd ,
Marciano Vink 45th
Lineups:
Auxerre:
1-Bruno
Martini, 2-Alain Goma, 3-William Prunier (12-Thierry Bonalair 62nd),
4-Franck Verlaat (Holland), 5-Stephane Mazzolini, 8-Daniel Dutuel, 6-Raphael
Guerreiro, 10-Martins, 7-Christophe Cocard, 9-Gerard Baticle (15-Lilian
Laslandes 81st), 11-Pascal Vahirua
Coach:
Guy Roux
Other Subs: 1-Fabien Cool, 13-Franck Rabarivony,
14-Didier Otokore (Ivory Coast)
Team
Captain: William
Prunier (Daniel Dutuel assumed captaincy 62nd)
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Uhlsport
Shirt
Sponsor: Commodore
Uniform
Colors: White Shirts , White Shorts, White Socks
Ajax:
1-Stanley
Menzo, 2-Sonny Silooy, 3-Danny Blind, 5-Frank de Boer, 7-Rob Alflen, 4-Wim Jonk
(13-Michel Kreek 56th), 6-Marciano Vink, 8-Edgar Davids, 10-Dennis
Bergkamp, 9-Stefan Pettersson (Sweden), 11-Marc Overmars (14-Jari Litmanen
(Finland) 86th)
Coach:
Louis van Gaal
Booked: Frank de Boer 27, Danny Blind 29
Other Subs: 12-Edwin van der sar, 15-Clyde Wynhard,
16-Alfons Groenedijk
Team
Captain: Danny Blind
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Umbro
Shirt
Sponsor: ABN-Amro
Uniform Colors: Green Shirts, Green
Shorts, Green Socks
The
second leg, on March 16th, was played at Amsterdam’s De Meer Stadion.
Stanley
Menzo had nailed his own coffin after one poor display too many.
The
new starting Ajax goalkeeper was the young Edwin van der Sar.
Wim
Jonk was also missing and Michel Kreek repalced him in the lineup.
For
Auxerre, William Prunier had some injury worries, despite being fit to play.
Franck Rabarivony started in defense in place of Mazzolini.
 |
Photo
From: Le Livre d'or du Football 1993
(Former Ajax teammates, Franck Verlaat and
Dennis Bergkamp, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0) |
Ajax
defender Sonny Silooy had declared that defensively Auxerre were weak and was
confident of overturning the deficit.
Louis
van Gaal declared that they would press so hard, that Auxerre’s wingers would
be pushed back to play near Auxerre goalkeeper Martini.
This
statement angered the French specially Dutuel felt the opposition showed a lack
of respect of them.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2450, March 23, 1993
(Corentin Martins, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup,
Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0) |
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2450, March 23, 1993
(Corentin Martins, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup,
Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0) |
Predictably,
Ajax dominated at home and attacked while Auxerre tried to hold firm.
In
their many breakaways, Auxerre actually had at least five god chances to score
that were wasted.
In
the 18th minute, Ajax Captain Danny Blind was forced off injured and
he was replaced with 17-year-old Clarence Seedorf.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Pascal
Vahirua and Frank De Boer, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre
0)
|
Ajax
continued to press and both Pettersson and Alflen hit the post. A penalty kick
appeal for Bergkamp was also denied.
Finally
in the 61st minute, Ajax broke the deadlock.
Alflen
took free kick from the right and Frank de Boer powerfully headed it in.
There
was still half an hour to go and qualification was still possible for Ajax who
continued to press.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2450, March 23, 1993
(March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam
1-Auxerre 0) |
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 68, September 1994
(Corentin Martins and Marciano Vink, March 16,
1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0) |
Auxerre’s
wingers Cocard and Vahirua seemed tired towards the end and could go forward no
longer. Martini had to come to the rescue and make two good saves from
Pettersson and Bergkamp near the end.
Auxerre
held on and Ajax were eliminated. They had eliminated a top European side and
written its part of history in European competition.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2450, March 23, 1993
(Auxerre’s
Gerard Bourgoin and Christophe Cocard celebrating, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup,
Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0)
|
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 51, April 1993
(Bruno
Martini making a save, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0)
|
Auxerre
were stopped in the semifinals by a new up and coming European power Borussia
Dortmund after a penalty kick shoot-out.
The
win over Ajax, also galvanized and helped improve their form for the rest of
the season.
Stanley
Menzo was the starting Ajax and National Team goalkeeper at the start of the
season. By the end of the season, he had lost both positions.
Edwin
van der Sar went on to have along and distinguished career for club(s) and
country for the remainder of his career.
Ajax,
though they won the Cup title, had a disappointing season.
However,
van Gaal was already plotting Ajax’s rise.
The
following season, Jari Litmanen was installed up front and Seedorf, Davids and
other young players improved further and won the League title three years in a
row, not to mention the 1995 Champions League.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2450, March 23, 1993
(Auxerre’s
William Prunier, March 16, 1993, UEFA Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 1-Auxerre 0)
|
March 16, 1993
Amsterdamsche
Football Club Ajax (Holland) 1-Association de La Jeunesse Auxerroise (France) 0
UEFA
Cup- Quarter Finals, Second Leg
Venue: Amsterdam-De Meer Stadion
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Kurt Rothlisberger
(Switzerland)
Goalscorers: (Ajax): Frank De Boer 61st
(Auxerre): None
Lineups:
Ajax:
1-Edwin
van der Sar, 2-Sonny Silooy, 5-Frank de Boer, 8-Michel Kreek, 6-Marciano Vink
(13-Johnny Hansen (Denmark) 57th),
3-Danny Blind (16-Clarence Seedorf 18th), 4-Rob Alflen, 10-Dennis
Bergkamp, 7-Marc Overmars, 9-Stefan Pettersson (Sweden), 11-Edgar Davids
Coach:
Louis van Gaal
Booked:
Sonny Silooy 32
Team
Captain: Danny Blind (Stefan Pettersson assumed captaincy 18th
minute)
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Umbro
Shirt
Sponsor: ABN-Amro
Uniform
Colors: Red/White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks
Auxerre:
1-Bruno
Martini, 2-Alain Goma , 3-William Prunier , 4-Franck Verlaat (Holland),
5-Frnack Rabarivony, 8-Daniel Dutuel, 6-Raphael Guerreiro, 10-Corentin Martins,
7-Christophe Cocard, 9-Gerard Baticle (12-Laurent Ciechelski 89th),
11-Pascal Vahirua
Coach:
Guy Roux
Booked:
Raphael Guerreiro 39
Team
Captain: William
Prunier
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Uhlsport
Shirt
Sponsor: Commodore
Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, Blue
Shorts, Blue Socks
