Ajax on Tuesday reached the UEFA Champions League playoffs after seeing off PAOK Thessaloniki 3-2 in a tense encounter in Amsterdam that saw last year’s semi-finalists through 5-3 on aggregate.
A Dusan Tadic penalty in each half and Nicolas Tagliafico’s late header were enough to give Erik ten Hag’s side a chance to make the group stage and relive the dream of last season, when they seduced Europe with a thrilling run to the last four.
Serb Tadic, who had already missed once from the spot for Ajax, scored the equalizer two minutes before the break after Diego Biseswar had silenced the Johan Cruijff Arena with a fine strike for PAOK midway through the half.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Tagliafico left the Greek side needing to score twice to go through with 11 minutes to go when he met Ziyech’s corner with a powerful header, and shortly after Tadic ensured a playoff clash with APOEL Nicosia before next month’s group stage, despite Biseswar’s stoppage-time strike.
APOEL are to face the Dutch giants after overturning a 2-1 deficit from the first leg to win 2-0 at Qarabag thanks to goals from Tomas de Vincenti and Urosh Matich.
Elsewhere, former European champions Porto, Celtic and Red Star Belgrade were dumped out with defeats to Krasnodar, CFR Cluj and FC Copenhagen respectively, with the Glasgow outfit sent to the UEFA Europa League 5-4 on aggregate after losing a thrilling encounter 4-3 at Celtic Park.
Meanwhile, Porto found their 1-0 first leg lead wiped out as Russian side Krasnodar scored three times in 33 minutes to take control of the tie.
The two-time kings of Europe pulled level on aggregate in the second half thanks to goals from Ze Luis and Luis Diaz, but could not find the winner, despite having 25 shots, and exited the competition on away goals.
Red Star fell to a 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat that featured 19 spot-kicks, after the Serbs could not be separated from their Danish opponents over two legs.
Club Brugge squeezed through following a dramatic 3-3 draw at Dynamo Kiev that saw three late goals — including two in stoppage time — scored and each side finish with 10 men as the Belgian side made it to the playoffs 4-3 on aggregate.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS