Ajax are out of the Champions League after a 3-2 defeat to Rapid Vienna saw them knocked out 5-4 on aggregate in the third qualifying round.
- Follow Football-Oranje on Twitter
Frank de Boer stated before the match that his side had learnt from their defensive errors which led to them surrendering a 2-0 lead in the second half of the first leg. However Ajax’s defensive naivety was once again there for all to see as they crashed to a 3-2 defeat in the Amsterdam Arena.
Ajax began the match positively and dominated the possession, but in the twelfth minute Daley Sinkgraven lost the ball outside his own penalty area which led to Robert Beric nodding in Stefan Stangl’s cross.
Davy Klaassen saw a goal chalked off for a foul on the Rapid goalkeeper, while Viktor Fischer fired inches wide as Ajax pushed for an equaliser. However six minutes before the break Louis Schaub skipped past half hearted challenges from Mitchell Dijks and Sinkgraven before firing past Cillessen via the foot of Joel Veltman.
Ajax headed into the second half needing two goals just to send the tie into extra time, and seven minutes in Arkaduisz Milik gave them hope with a terrific volleyed finish from Dijks cross.
De Boer went to an attacking 3-3-4 formation as Ajax pushed for the equaliser, and it came through substitute Nemanja Gudelj, who’s shot from just outside the box nestled into the bottom corner. However the goalscorer went from hero to zero minutes later as he allowed a throw in to drop into the path of Schaub, who raced unchallenged into the Ajax box before firing into the top corner.
Ajax couldn’t recover from the goal and will now drop down into the Europa League play-offs. PSV are the only Dutch side standing in the Champions League.
Follow
Follow @Footballoranje_ on Twitter
