Darwin Núñez scored the winning goal as Benfica beat Ajax in Amsterdam to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.
After an entertaining first leg ended 2-2 in Lisbon, the second leg was much closer and the visitors had done little to threaten before Núñez scored.
The Uruguayan beat Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana to head in a lashed free kick with 13 minutes remaining.
Ajax dominated and Sebastien Haller had the ball in the net from the start, but Dusan Tadic was offside in the build-up.
However, despite all the possession from the home team, they struggled to break through a resolute Benfica defense that was well managed by veteran centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and former Ajax and Spurs man Jan Vertonghen.
Belgium’s Vertonghen also headed wide in a rare chance for the visitors, who showed little ambition and seemed more likely to threaten a set piece.
And so it was, with Núñez appearing with the decisive equalizer goal in a superb delivery by Alex Grimaldo.
Antony was buoyed up by the Dutch team and fired on goal from distance before heading another shot over the crossbar, when what had been an upbeat atmosphere inside the Johan Cruyff Arena began to get jittery.
In the end, it was Benfica’s vociferous traveling support that was left singing as their players enjoyed the celebrations on the pitch, with the Portuguese side reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.
- lineups
- match statistics
- live text
lineups
Ajax
Training 4-2-3-1
- 24Onana
- 12Mazraoui
- twoWoodReserved at 83 minutesReplaced forKuduon 90+6′minutes
- twenty-onemartinez
- 17BlindReserved at 90 minutes
- 8GravenberchReserved at 90 minutes
- 4AlvarezReplaced forbrobbeyon 81′minutes
- elevenTwo saints
- 23BerghuisReplaced forKlaassenon 81′minutes
- 10tadic
- 22Haller
substitutes
- 3Schuurs
- 6Klaassen
- 9Pereira da Silva
- fifteenRensch
- 18brobbey
- 19Labyad
- twentyKudu
- 25Taylor
- 30Darami
- 31Tagliafico
- 33Tyton
- 51Setford
Benfica
Training 4-2-3-1
- 99Vlachodimos
- twoJuniorReplaced forLazaruson 90+1′minutes
- 30Otamendi
- 5Vertonghen
- 3Grimaldo
- 49taarabtReplaced forMeiteon Four. Five’minutes
- 28Weight
- 27ferreira silva
- 88Matias RamosReserved at 67 minutesReplaced forGoncalves Bernardoon 90+1′minutes
- 7souza soaresReplaced forYaremchukon 72′minutes
- 9NunezReplaced forCupid Goncalveson 81′minutes
substitutes
- elevenMeite
- fifteenYaremchuk
- 17Cupid Goncalves
- twentyJoao Mario
- 22Lazarus
- 23Radonjic
- 31bastion days
- 3. 4Magalhaes de Almeida
- 39Pereira Araujo
- 55Goncalves Bernardo
- 77Alex Leite
- 91rodrigues da silva
- Referee:
- carlos of the big hill
- Assistance:
- 54,066
match statistics
- Possession
- House69%
- Outside31%
- Shots
- Housesixteen
- Outside4
- shots on target
- Housetwo
- Outside1
- corners
- House10
- Outside4
- faults
- House13
- Outsideeleven
live text
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Post Update
Match ends, Ajax 0, Benfica 1.
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Full time
Second Half ends, Ajax 0, Benfica 1.
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Post Update
Offside, Ajax. Dusan Tadic tries a through ball, but Brian Brobbey is caught offside.
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Substitution
Change, Ajax. Mohammed Kudus replaces Jurriën Timber.
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Booking
Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax) is shown a yellow card.
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Booking
Daley Blind (Ajax) is shown a yellow card.
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Post Update
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax).
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Post Update
Roman Yaremchuk (Benfica) has been fouled in the defensive zone.
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Post Update
Dangerous play by Jurriën Timber (Ajax).
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Post Update
Julian Weigl (Benfica) has been fouled in the defensive zone.
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Substitution
Change, Benfica. Valentino Lázaro replaces Gilberto due to injury.
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Substitution
Change, Benfica. Paulo Bernardo replaces Gonçalo Ramos.
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Post Update
Attempt blocked. Sébastien Haller (Ajax) shot wide with the right foot from the center of the area. Assisted by Noussair Mazraoui with a cross.
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Post Update
Offside, Ajax. Daley Blind tries a through ball, but Brian Brobbey is caught offside.
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Post Update
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax) has received a foul in the opposite field.
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Post Update
Soualiho Meite (Benfica).
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Post Update
Brian Brobbey (Ajax) has been fouled down the left wing.
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Post Update
Foul by Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica).
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Booking
Jurriën Timber (Ajax) is shown the yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
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Post Update
Foul by Jurriën Timber (Ajax).
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