Ajax still pointless in the UEFA Champions League after home defeat to Benfica
Ajax were defeated once again in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. Losing 2-0 at home against Portuguese side SL Benfica. An early goal from Samuel Dahl and a last-minute strike by Leandro Barreiro were enough for Jose Mourinho’s men.
It was the first win for Benfica in the competition this season, leaving Ajax as the only side in the 36-team competition that has not gained a single point as of yet. It was Mourinho’s seventh win against Ajax, putting him third when it comes to the number of wins a manager has gotten against a single side.
Fred Grim made five changes to the side that lost at home to Excelsior for the first time in the club’s history on Saturday. Goalkeeper Viteszlav Jarod, Owen Wijndal, Davy Klaassen, Ko Itakura, and youngster Rayane Bounida replaced Remko Pasveer, Anton Gaaei, Gerald Alders, Oliver Edvardsen and Oscar Gloukh.
It was the worst possible start for the home side as Benfica took the lead in the sixth minute. A corner was headed towards the goal by Richard Rios. Jaros saved the effort, but it came out to Samuel Dahl, who smashed it hard into the far top corner.
Although Ajax fans will have feared another long night in the Champions League, where they have now conceded 15 goals in five games, Benfica showed that their record of zero wins prior to this game was not unfounded.
The Portugese side also struggled to create chances and Ajax came close to equalizing near the end of the half when Bounida almost got an assist on his first start for the first team when he found Davy Klaassen in the box with a great chipped pass. Benfica’s Ukrainian keeper Anatoliy Trubin saved Klaassen’s volley.
A fantastic attack from Ajax should have leveled the game in the second half. The attack was started by Bounida, who had a very impressive first start, his strong pass found Taylor, who played a strong pass to Kenneth Taylor, he found Wout Weghorst, who hit a first time return pass to Klaassen, but the midfielder got the finish all wrong, putting a simple finish far wide of the goal.
Ajax were competing in the game, although they almost went 2-0 down midway through the second half when Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi headed a ball across the goal that was about to be tapped in before Josip Sutalo hooked it away at the last second.
Benfica put the game to bed in the 90th minute. Ajax were playing with a higher defensive line due to their hunt for an equalizer, and Luxembourg winger Leandro Barreiro used his pace well, playing a one-two with former Feyenoord midfielder Fredrik Aursnes before finishing with aplomb in the near corner.
