Ajax are out of the Europa League on away goals after a 2-1 extra time victory over Ukrainian side Dnipro. The tie ended 2-2 on aggregate.
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Defeat in Ukraine last week meant Ajax had to beat Dnipro by at least two goals to go through automatically, but Frank de Boer decided to pick a young team, with the more experienced Thulani Serero and Lasse Schone making way for Daley Sinkgraven and Ricardo Kishna.
Ajax controlled the early stages with Anwar El Ghazi coming close to opening the scoring, but his shot was just tipped over the bar by Denis Boyko, while Arkaduisz Milik also shot just wide. Nikola Kalinic forced Jasper Cillessen into a good save, but Ajax continued to create chances, and Ricardo Kishna was inches away from connecting to El Ghazi’s cross just before the break.
Fifteen minutes after the break Ajax finally opened the scoring when Daley Sinkgraven’s ball across the pitch was latched upon by Riechedly Bazoer, and after a half-hearted challenge by a Dnipro defender, the 18-year old burst into the box and fired past Boyko.
Bazoer nearly netted a second before the end but his curling effort was tipped wide, and the tie headed into extra time. Seven minutes into the extra period Dnipro killed the tie as the Ajax defence stood off Yevhen Konoplyanka, who cut in from the left hand side before curling past Cillessen into the bottom corner.
The goal meant Ajax needed two, and with four minutes to go Mike van der Hoorn gave the Dutch side hope after finishing on the rebound, but there was to be no third goal and Dnipro progressed to the quarter finals.
A disappointing night for Ajax in a season which will now end trophy-less for the first time under Frank de Boer, with the league and KNVB Cup also out of contention.
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