Amsterdam Arena, September 27, Evening
The Amsterdam Arena was buzzing under the lights for what promised to be a decisive clash in Group B of the UEFA Champions League: Ajax versus Arsenal.
This was more than just a group-stage match — it was a meeting between the group's two heavyweights, both expected to qualify. But qualification wasn't the only thing at stake. With Sparta Prague and Thun unlikely to threaten the top spots, this match was widely viewed as the battle for first place in the group. And with their final meeting scheduled for the last matchday, the outcome tonight would shape the dynamic of the entire group.
Ajax had drawn 1–1 away to Sparta Prague in their opener. Arsenal, meanwhile, had struggled to a narrow 2–1 home win over Thun. Another draw or defeat would put Ajax in a difficult position, especially in the race for top spot. Playing at home, many expected Ronald Koeman's men to come out aggressively.
But Arsenal were ready.
Wenger's side knew the setting all too well. Just two years earlier, they had played Ajax in the round of 16 here — and they came into this game with a point to prove. After all, their away form this season had been dreadful: three road losses, including to Chelsea and Liverpool, both by the same 0–1 scoreline.
That poor run of form was largely tied to the departure of Patrick Vieira. Without him, Arsenal's midfield lacked bite and authority. Fabregas and Flamini were promising, but neither had yet grown into Vieira's boots, especially on the road. Even so, it was the visitors who seized early control.
In the first ten minutes, Arsenal dominated possession, holding the ball with a commanding 63% share and pressing Ajax into their own half.
Just three minutes in, Fabregas sprayed a diagonal ball to the right wing for Hleb, who darted forward before laying it across for Reyes at the edge of the area. Reyes tried to clip it through to Henry, but Vermaelen read the play perfectly and lunged in to poke the ball away.
A minute later, Fabregas threaded another pass into the channel for Henry, who spun inside the box and hit it left-footed. The shot skipped just wide of the near post.
In the sixth minute, Reyes played a clever one-two with Lauren. The right-back took the return pass and struck a fierce shot from 25 yards, but it sailed over Stekelenburg's bar.
Moments later, Hleb pressed high and dispossessed Pienaar near midfield. He released Reyes down the left, but Maxwell timed his slide impeccably, nicking the ball cleanly at the edge of the box.
By the ninth minute, Henry had dropped deeper to find space. He nudged the ball past Maicon on the touchline, then sprinted to retrieve it and cut inside, curling a low shot from outside the box that forced Stekelenburg into a diving save.
Gilberto Silva tried his luck from over thirty meters in the tenth minute, but the shot was wild, flying several rows into the stands.
The first ten minutes belonged to Arsenal. Ajax were pinned back, forced to absorb wave after wave of pressure. Their midfield was smothered. Yaya Touré and De Jong sat deep in front of the back line, tasked with shielding the defense and stifling Arsenal's ball circulation. So far, they were hanging on.
Gradually, Ajax began to recover.
By the 15th minute, they managed to string together a few passes and push forward. Yang Yang, deployed on the right, was Ajax's primary outlet. Ashley Cole marked him tightly, forcing Yang to drift inside or swap flanks in search of openings.
As the game progressed, possession evened out slightly. Arsenal remained dangerous, but Ajax found their rhythm and posed their own threats.
The best Ajax chance of the half came in the 33rd minute.
Maicon surged forward down the right and combined neatly with Yang Yang in a triangle. The Brazilian's early cross curled into the box, where Charisteas — timing his jump between Campbell and Kolo Touré— rose to flick the ball across the six-yard line.
Yang Yang had ghosted in from the right channel, arriving unmarked just five yards from goal. He met the ball with a diving header, but it lacked power and precision. Almunia, perfectly positioned, caught it without fuss.
Charisteas raised his hand in apology. His flick had been too high, forcing Yang to adjust and head rather than volley. Everyone on the pitch — including Yang himself — knew heading wasn't his strength.
But the 18-year-old remained patient, calculating.
Then came the 43rd minute. Charisteas dropped deep, turned, and fed a threaded ball between the lines. Yang Yang read it instantly and burst forward. He skipped past Ashley Cole with a fluid body feint, beat the offside trap, and tore into the penalty area with the ball glued to his feet.
As Almunia rushed out, Kolo Touré cut across to cover. Yang dropped his shoulder and tried to slot the ball low at the near post — but it ricocheted off Touré and out for a corner.
Yang immediately appealed, arms outstretched. The replays were damning: Touré's arm had indeed flared away from his body. The shot had clearly struck his open hand.
"If his arm isn't out," Yang told the referee furiously, "that's a goal!"
Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo shook his head and motioned play on. No penalty.
As Yang turned away in disbelief, Kolo Touré jogged past and lightly patted his shoulder — an unspoken admission. Intentional or not, his arm had blocked a shot destined for goal.
...
...
Halftime – Ajax Locker Room, Amsterdam Arena
"It was definitely a handball."
Inside the home dressing room at the Amsterdam Arena, Ronald Koeman stood in front of a screen, replaying the slow-motion footage for everyone. The video clearly showed the ball striking Kolo Touré's outstretched arm. The players watched in frustrated silence.
"Intentional or not, the arm was extended — it should've been a penalty," Koeman said. "But the referee didn't give it. That's football. We can't waste energy on it now. We need to let it go and focus on the second half."
The players were visibly fatigued after an intense 45 minutes. Arsenal had dominated the opening stages, forcing Ajax to spend much of the half under pressure. Despite this, the score was still 0–0, and the game remained in the balance.
Koeman turned to the whiteboard, where magnetic markers showed the Arsenal setup.
"Their defensive structure has weaknesses — we knew this before the match. After the midfield line, there's a gap right here," he said, drawing a shaded area just in front of Arsenal's penalty box.
He gestured toward their likely formation: Almunia in goal; a back four of Lauren, Kolo Touré, Campbell, and Ashley Cole; a midfield of Gilberto Silva anchoring with Fabregas and Hleb, and Pires cutting inside from the left. Henry and Reyes led the line.
"They've lost Vieira, and with him, a huge part of their defensive spine. Gilberto Silva is doing everything he can, but there's too much space for him to cover. That's where we have to attack."
Koeman pointed at the zone between Arsenal's midfield and defense.
"In the first half, we didn't take control of that space. We reacted instead of initiating. We have to flip that. When Gilberto is drawn to either side, the middle opens up. That's where Sneijder and Yaya Touré need to make their runs — but it starts with better positioning and timing."
The players nodded.
Yang Yang had been Ajax's most active outlet, constantly drifting between flanks to unbalance the Arsenal defense. Now he spoke up.
"I'll take the ball, pull defenders, force them to collapse on me," Yang said, standing to his feet. "You guys find the gaps, I'll get it to you."
There was a moment of quiet before several teammates nodded in agreement.
This was the kind of leadership they'd come to expect from Yang Yang — not just skill, but initiative and accountability. He wasn't just Ajax's captain by title; he embodied it.
"I'll make the runs inside," said Charisteas, rising alongside him. "Campbell doesn't look sharp tonight — I'll test him."
Yang nodded. "Yeah, I noticed it too. His footwork is sluggish, and his timing is off. He's not reacting well when we push the tempo."
The Greek striker had done well in the air, and now he was being tasked with running into the channels to stretch the back line even further.
Koeman added, "Exactly. Campbell isn't reading the offside line properly either. They're vulnerable if we rotate positions between the wings and midfield."
Yang turned to Sneijder and Yaya Touré.
"You two — keep scanning that central lane. As soon as I drag Gilberto wide, slip in. I'll lay it off or cut it back to you."
Sneijder responded with a firm nod. Yaya cracked a smile, already visualizing the opportunity.
...
The second half had barely begun, and Ajax were already on the front foot.
From the opening whistle, they pressed forward with intent, circulating the ball patiently across midfield. Then, as if on cue, the play shifted to the right flank.
"Ajax are building up again... they shift it wide."
The commentary voice carried over the buzz of the stadium.
"It's with Yang Yang!"
With a quick burst, Yang Yang accelerated down the right, dragging the ball under his boot before sharply chopping inside. Ashley Cole closed in, but Yang's sudden cut inside — a feint followed by a precise change of direction — sent the English full-back stumbling.
The challenge came a second too late. Cole clipped him just as Yang Yang was about to break through toward the edge of the box.
The referee's whistle shrieked sharply above the roar of the crowd.
Fouled, Yang Yang rolled across the turf before springing upright, adrenaline in full flow. His face, flushed with intensity, lit up in fierce determination. He wasn't hurt — just briefly grounded. Maicon jogged over and helped him to his feet.
Ashley Cole, breathless and visibly frustrated, pulled himself up from the pitch. The yellow card came swiftly.
The referee jogged over and raised it high in the air.
Yellow for the foul.
Cole didn't argue. He backed off slowly, eyes trailing Yang Yang with a mix of respect and exasperation. The last time these two met at this very stadium, Yang Yang was just a wiry teenager, barely known, making headlines for breaking through Arsenal's defense in the Round of 16 and scoring his first Champions League goal. That strike had also broken the record for the youngest scorer in Champions League history.
Now, two years on, he was Ajax's captain — a Golden Boy winner, a UEFA Cup champion, and the reigning Eredivisie top scorer. But what struck Ashley Cole most wasn't the accolades — it was how difficult the kid was to stop.
Yang Yang's movement was relentless. He drifted between flanks, peeled into the half-spaces, and always seemed one step ahead. Defending him felt less like dealing with an 18-year-old prospect and more like facing a prime European winger.
Cole had already defended against some of Europe's most talked-about young wingers — Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, Arjen Robben at Chelsea. Both were electric, unpredictable, and full of flair. But even with their reputation, neither had applied this kind of relentless, intelligent pressure over him.
Yang Yang's movements were constant. His changes of pace were calculated. He shifted roles, attacked from different angles, and forced defenders to stay alert every second. For someone who hadn't even turned nineteen, the tactical maturity was startling.
...
...
Wenger stood at the edge of his technical area, gesturing with both arms for his players to regroup. Ajax had just won a dangerous free-kick on the right side of the final third, close enough for a direct cross or a clever set play.
The foul had come from Ashley Cole — again. The full-back had been forced into a desperate challenge after being caught wrong-footed by Yang Yang's sudden acceleration and change of direction. Cole, already on a yellow card, looked frustrated as he jogged into position, aware he was now walking a tightrope.
On the Arsenal bench, Wenger exchanged a quick glance with his assistant Pat Rice.
"That turn — it was too sharp. Cole didn't stand a chance," Rice muttered, half in admiration, half in concern.
Wenger sighed quietly, arms folded. "This kid's development has been unbelievable," he said, his voice lower than usual.
He remembered Yang Yang well — how could he not? Two years earlier, the teenager had stunned the Gunners with a clinical goal in the Champions League knockout stages. At the time, Yang Yang was raw — explosive, yes, but limited in options. His dribbling was fast but sometimes predictable, his decision-making unrefined.
Wenger had briefly considered making a move back then. But between Yang Yang's inexperience and Arsenal's packed forward line — with Thierry Henry in his prime — the interest never became formal.
"He had strengths and weaknesses," Wenger admitted. "But he's erased the weaknesses — and sharpened the strengths."
Rice raised an eyebrow. It wasn't every day that Wenger admitted regret. Not even when Ibrahimović had scored twice against Arsenal did the Frenchman admit an error in judgment. Back then, he had insisted that passing on the Swede was "the right call."
But this time?
"We should've bought him," Wenger said plainly.
Rice was taken aback.
"Two years ago. That was our window."
It was a rare moment of open reflection from the Arsenal manager. Yang Yang was still only eighteen, and yet he was controlling the tempo of a Champions League fixture, directing teammates around the box, ready to take the free-kick himself.
Wenger shook his head, watching Ajax's number seven move with quiet confidence.
"And now?" Rice asked.
Wenger gave a resigned smile. "Now we can't afford him."
Just ahead of them on the pitch, Yang Yang stood by the ball, hand raised as he communicated the signal. He wasn't just taking the set piece — he was orchestrating it.
"Tell Pires to drop deeper," Wenger said quickly. "Help Ashley. Ajax will keep targeting that side."
He had barely finished speaking when Yang Yang whipped in the free kick — flat, pacy, curling toward the near post.
...
...
Ajax lined up for the free kick, the Amsterdam Arena crackling with anticipation.
Yang Yang stood over the ball just outside the right corner of the box. He raised his arm briefly, calling the signal — then struck it cleanly with his right foot.
"It's Yang Yang's delivery, curling toward the near post!"
The ball cut through the air with pace and whip, dipping into a crowded penalty area.
"Vermaelen's broken free!"
The Belgian defender timed his run perfectly, leaping between Sol Campbell and Gilberto Silva. He met the ball with a powerful header, snapping his neck forward.
Clang!
The sound of the ball crashing against the underside of the crossbar echoed through the stadium. For a split second, all of Amsterdam held its breath as the rebound shot upward and dropped just outside the line before being cleared frantically by Kolo Touré.
A massive groan rippled across the stands — hands on heads, fans slumped back into their seats.
"So close!"
"That was the best chance of the match!"
The commentators were just as animated.
"Vermaelen ghosted in unmarked. Perfect timing, perfect execution — and Yang Yang's delivery was inch-perfect. A brilliantly worked set-piece, but just inches away from the opening goal."
"Yang Yang continues to be the biggest threat for Ajax tonight. Arsenal are clearly doubling their coverage now — he's drawing defenders every time he has the ball."
Down on the touchline, Ronald Koeman turned away from the play, frustrated but encouraged.
Ajax were growing into the game. The difference was narrowing. And if Yang Yang kept pulling the strings, it was only a matter of time before something broke through.
...
...
Ajax continued to build momentum as the second half wore on. Their rhythm sharpened, their pressing more coordinated, their confidence returning.
Yang Yang quickly found himself with another promising chance down the right flank.
Maicon, who had remained high and wide, played a fast, low pass toward Yang Yang, who had dropped slightly deeper to receive. With a deft first touch, Yang Yang turned while controlling the ball, using his body to shield it from Pirès. He immediately sliced diagonally toward the edge of the penalty area, his movements crisp and explosive.
Pirès tried to stick close, applying pressure from behind, but Maicon's overlapping run dragged Ashley Cole out of position, forcing the left-back to abandon the chase and track the Brazilian instead. In a flash, Yang Yang accelerated, spinning out of Pirès's reach and bursting toward the box.
Gilberto Silva reacted quickly, sprinting laterally to intercept, but Yang Yang was already past him. As the Brazilian midfielder closed the angle just inside the penalty area, Yang Yang feinted to shoot with his right foot. Gilberto hesitated for half a second, enough for Yang Yang to shift his balance and cut the ball horizontally with the inside of his foot across the top of the area.
Sneijder, who had been ghosting into the gap just behind the front line, met the pass in full stride. Without taking a touch, he swung his right foot and struck the ball with precision and power.
The shot was clean. It arrowed low toward the near post, but missed by a matter of inches—skimming just wide and brushing the outside of the upright.
Sneijder dropped to his knees at the edge of the penalty box, fists clenched, gutted by the miss. He had timed his run perfectly, read Yang Yang's delivery with instinct, but the execution had narrowly failed him.
Up in the stands, a collective gasp ran through the crowd, followed by a sigh of disappointment. The tension inside the Amsterdam Arena was palpable, but it quickly turned into applause—first a ripple, then a wave. Many fans chanted Yang Yang's name. Others shouted support for Sneijder. The home crowd recognized the intent, the effort, and the quality of play.
"Ajax fans showing unity," the Dutch broadcaster said. "Even as the chance goes begging, they recognize the connection, the execution. They believe the goal will come."
Yang Yang, despite the heavy sprint just seconds earlier, made his way toward Sneijder. His breathing was heavy, his forehead glistening, but his voice was firm.
"It's fine," he said, offering his hand. "Get up, Wesley. I'll give you another one."
Sneijder took his hand and stood. He nodded, apologetic. He knew how much effort Yang Yang had spent carving out that opportunity. And he also knew that, in football, chances like that don't always come twice.
"I'll be ready next time," Sneijder promised.
"We'll create it," Yang Yang said, clapping his hands with determination. "We just keep going."
Arsenal's players had taken notice. Several of them were watching from a distance, wary of how animated and relentless the Ajax captain had become.
But Yang Yang didn't care.
This was his home turf. This was the Amsterdam Arena. He wanted to score—and he wanted to do it in front of their faces.
As Zlatan Ibrahimović once said, the best goals are the ones scored under your opponent's nose. And their jeers, their frustration? Those are just another kind of applause.
Ajax didn't need to hide their intentions. They wanted the goal. And Yang Yang was going to do everything in his power to deliver it.