Jurriën Timber made his winning goal against Willem II with his abs, the Ajax defender says with a smile during the press conference on Saturday evening. After a turning cross from Antony from the right wing, Timber appeared at the far post. He got the ball through the head of goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther into the goal and determined the final score at 0-1. Spoke afterwards ESPN-presenter Jan Joost van Gangelen of a ‘nickel goal’, but according to Timber, that was not the case.
“Everyone asks me that question. It was my stomach, I think. My abs,” laughs Timber, who had already planned to pop up at the far post whenever an opportunity arose. “After once there was no one at the far post after a cross from Dusan Tadic, Lisandro Martínez already told me to go to the far post, so this time I did. Luckily he falls in. I didn’t really know. how to hit it, because it just fell annoyingly. I thought: belly against it and it went in.”
Match winner Jurriën Timber laughs: ‘I scored with my abs’
Timber had to pay for his goal with a minor injury. The defender collided with the post and had to be replaced by Perr Schuurs. “Yes, with my calf. That gave me a cramp at the time,” says Timber. In his view, there is no need to search too much behind the difficult match. “Sometimes you have such matches in a season that are very difficult. The weather was not good, the field was super slippery and you do not score. Then it becomes very difficult. You have to keep believing in it.” The fact that we finally managed to win is a good feeling and, according to Timber, points to the winning spirit where Ajax is located.
“We lost points against such clubs before the winter break, but if you want to become champions you have to win these matches. I think it is also super difficult for the competition if they see that we still win such a game.” Moreover, Ajax again managed to keep a clean sheet. In 23 matches, the league-leader conceded only 5 goals. “As a team we are very stable and we don’t give much away. Everyone is important in that. Lisandro and I are the last men, so it feels extra nice for us if we keep the zero again. The cooperation with him is great. The communication It’s only going to get better and we’re trying to keep it that way.”
† @AFCAjax wins 0-1 at Willem II thanks to this goal by Jurriën Timber with his … yes how exactly?#wilaja pic.twitter.com/qSWhgU36uq
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) February 19, 2022