Ajax advanced to the Champions League playoffs with a 3-2 victory against PAOK Saloniki in Amsterdam on Tuesday. After a 2-2 draw between the Amsterdam and Greek teams in Thessaloniki last week, the one goal victory was just enough for Ajax to go through to the next round, NOS reports.
Dusan Tadic scored two goals from three penalties for the Amsterdam team. Nicolas Tagliafico scored the third. Diego Bisewar, the only Dutch player in Greek service, scored the visiting club's two goals.
While Ajax is delighted with their 0-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, the team emphasized that it is not yet time to celebrate. The Amsterdam team is a big step closer to the Champions League final, but they still face a difficult job in the return at the Johan Cruijff Arena next week.
"We stand with one toe in the final. It is no more than that", Ajax defender Joel Veltman said to NU.nl reports. "Tottenham has a top team, they can still rectify this."
The first Ajax match in a Champions League semifinal in 22 years ended in surprise with a narrow victory against Tottenham Hotspurs. The first leg with Tottenham was played at the Spurs' stadium in London, where the hometown crowd was no doubt disappointed by a performance fairly dominated by the Amsterdam squad.
On Tuesday Ajax qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 22 years. The Amsterdam team eliminated Juventus with a 1-2 victory in Turin. The first quarter-finals match in the Johan Cruijff Arena ended in a 1-1 draw last week, so Ajax has enough to extend this special European season, NU.nl reports.
