Benfica stuns Ajax 1-0 to advance to CL quarterfinals

Benfica's Darwin Nunez scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Ajax and Benfica at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Unable to win at home yet again, Ajax’s great Champions League run has suddenly ended.

Ajax couldn’t halt a 26-year winless streak at home in the knockout rounds of the European competition on Tuesday, losing 1-0 to Benfica to waste a perfect campaign in the group stage.

Darwin Núñez scored late and Benfica reached the quarterfinals for the first time in six years. Núñez found the net with a 77th-minute header off a free kick from the right side to help Benfica make it to the last eight for the fifth time.

Benfica's Darwin Nunez, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Ajax and Benfica at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The teams had drawn 2-2 in the first leg in Portugal.

Ajax coach Erik ten Hag said he was “hoping for a moment of magic” in the end, but it never happened.

“Our positional play was excellent,” he said. “We were very good on the ball. I gave my players a big compliment. Maybe only the creativity was lacking. So it’s bitter that one moment of inattention means you’re eliminated.”

Ajax was one of three teams that won all six group-stage matches, along with Liverpool and Bayern. The Dutch club was in the last 16 for the second time since 2006, though it reached the semifinals the last time it got this far three seasons ago. It didn’t win any of its home games in the knockout stage then either, with its last such victory coming against Borussia Dortmund in the 1996 quarterfinals.

By Associated Press

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