Ajax has qualified for the quarter finals of the Europa League. After the 3-0 victory in the first leg in the Johan Cruijff Arena, the team from Amsterdam were also too strong for Young Boys in the return in Switzerland: 0-2. David Neres and Dusan Tadic – from the penalty spot – took care of the goal production on behalf of Ajax, which was divided over both halves. For example, on Friday from 13:00 in Nyon, Switzerland, Ajax will go into the tube for the draw for the last eight and the last four immediately.
Trainer Erik ten Hag did not have access to Jurriën Timber in Bern, who was replaced in the center of defense by Edson Álvarez. As a result, Daley Blind returned to Ajax’s midfield after two games. On the artificial turf of the Stade de Suisse, the intentions of the home team were immediately clear: Edson Álvarez (twice) and Lisandro Martínez defused shots by Elia Meschak, Jean-Pierre Nsame and Miralem Sulejmani. On the other hand, Daley Blind also saw a shot blocked.
Goal: David Neres does it for Ajax! Ryan Gravenberch cleverly intercepts and the Brazilian eventually taps in. Now Young Boys has to score five! # rtl7 #UEL #yboaja pic.twitter.com/SnPcUCvXdq
– VTBL? (@vtbl) March 18, 2021
With twenty minutes left on the clock, Ajax dealt a sensitive blow to Young Boys. A pass from Dusan Tadic passed through an opponent to Neres, who had passed to the left of the goal and pushed the ball into the empty goal after goalkeeper Guillaume Faivre had been put out of position. Young Boys then felt entitled to a penalty kick when a cross from Sulejmani went against the hand of Álvarez. However, both Scottish referee Bobby Madden and English video referee Stuart Attwell decided not to put the ball on the spot. In the remainder of the first half Ajax showed itself once more: a shot by Nicolás Tagliafico was blocked.
Immediately after the break, Ajax got a golden opportunity to double the margin. After a measured cross from Neres, Davy Klaassen, in completely free position, still failed to double the margin by shooting straight at Faivre. A few seconds later, however, the ball did hit the spot. A bet by Devyne Rensch came through Faivre against the hand of Mohamed Camara. This time Attwell called Madden to the screen, after which a penalty kick was awarded. Tadic made no mistake from eleven meters and thus destroyed all hopes for the leader of the Swiss league. The Serbian forward has been involved in 22 goals (11 goals and 11 assists) in European matches since coming to Ajax and only Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Bruno Fernandes have done better in the meantime.
Now the referee does give a penalty kick! Dusan Tadic goes behind the ball and shoots far enough into the corner: 0-2. # rtl7 #UEL #yboaja pic.twitter.com/rWxrduMG3I
– VTBL? (@vtbl) March 18, 2021
Young Boys seemed to be doing something back soon after the 0-2. A cross from Vincent Sierro was headed against the ropes via Álvarez, but after interference from the VAR, this goal was interrupted. Elijah was offside and had taken advantage of that position as he hindered Ryan Gravenberch from defending Nsame. Ten Hag then took Blind and Neres to the side for Mohammed Kudus and Oussama Idrissi. The Ghanaian midfielder played himself free in the penalty area with twenty minutes to go, but shot straight at Faivre.
The other substitute – Idrissi – was also close to 0-3 on instructions from Sean Klaiber, who was also brought in, but his bet was taken off the line by Silvan Hefti. For the last ten minutes, Perr Schuurs and Brian Brobbey were also brought on for Rensch and Antony. Via Idrissi and Brobbey, among others, Ajax was given opportunities to further increase the score in the final phase, but in the 0-2 score no change came in the end. For example, on Friday Ajax will go into the draw for the quarter finals of the Europa League, where there will also be a direct draw for the semi-finals.