Ajax’s chances of progressing in the Champions League are now surely over after they lost 2-0 at home against Benfica.
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Both sides went into the game with no points and their chances of progressing hanging by a thread. After the loss at home to Excelsior at the weekend, Ajax boss Fred Grim rung the changes. Vitozslav Jaros came in for Remko Pasveer while 19-year-old Rayane Bounida was preferred on the wing to Oscar Gloukh.
It only took Benfica seven minutes to open the scoring as Samuel Dahl found the net with a fierce strike.
Bounida was the only bright spark for Ajax in the first half as he played with courage but chances were far and few between.
Early in the second half, Davy Klaassen was played in on goal but he scuffed his shot wide. Apart from that, Ajax had plenty of the ball without really troubling an equaliser.
Benfica then killed the game as Leandro Barreiro was allowed space to play a one-two before steaming into the box and firing the ball high past Jaros.
Another defeat for Ajax and they are rock bottom of the group. A depressing evening in a depressing season so far in Amsterdam.
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