AMSTERDAM: Darwin Nunez headed house within the 77th minute as Benfica shocked Ajax to succeed in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, successful the second one leg in their last-16 tie 1-0 in Amsterdam to advance 3-2 on mixture. The Portuguese facet had now not controlled a unmarried try heading in the right direction till Uruguayan striker Nunez beat goalkeeper Andre Onana to Alex Grimaldo’s free-kick and headed in to silence the Johan Cruyff Enviornment. Ajax, who had ruled the primary part, may just now not recuperate from that blow and cross out whilst two-time Eu Cup winners Benfica stay up for Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals.
Having despatched Barcelona packing within the crew level, they’re going to now seem within the final 8 for the primary time since 2016. “We’re a few of the 8 easiest groups in Europe. The workforce labored so exhausting to reach this in opposition to in point of fact tricky fighters,” mentioned Benfica trainer Nelson Verissimo. Ajax’s celebrity striker, Sebastien Haller, were hoping to attain in an 8th consecutive Champions League recreation this season having netted a exceptional 11 objectives in his first seven appearances within the pageant.
But he was once upstaged via the 22-year-old Nunez as Benfica’s personal prolific ahead discovered the objective for the twenty sixth time in all competitions for the reason that get started of the marketing campaign. “We weren’t excellent sufficient in both field. We must have scored however didn’t take our probabilities after which we conceded an avoidable function,” French-born Ivory Coast world Haller instructed broadcaster Canal Plus. “It was once the easiest recreation for them. We go away with regrets however sadly this is soccer. The workforce who dominate don’t all the time win. We simply have to be told from our errors.”
A swashbuckling Ajax facet had gained all six video games within the crew level sooner than two times main in opposition to Benfica within the first leg in Lisbon handiest to need to accept a 2-2 draw. Haller, who has 32 objectives in overall this season, had scored at each results in that recreation and he had the ball within the internet within the 7th minute right here just for the hassle to be dominated out as a result of Dusan Tadic was once flagged offside within the build-up.
Erik ten Hag’s prolific facet, who’re most sensible of the Dutch Eredivisie, checked out their easiest within the first part however may just now not give you the option thru as Steven Berghuis blasted over at the volley from simply throughout the field. Ryan Gravenberch then unleashed a very good shot that was once tipped over via Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos, and they didn’t glance as threatening in the second one part. As a substitute they discovered themselves at the back of for the primary time within the tie as Nunez struck, and a Benfica workforce who lie 3rd within the Portuguese league, 12 issues at the back of leaders Porto, hung on to enroll in the cream of Europe’s elite within the final 8. – AFP