Ajax has booked a spectacular victory over Borussia Dortmund in the group stage of the Champions League on Tuesday. Erik ten Hag’s team won 4-0 in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and is therefore only in the lead in Group C, with nine points from three games. Ajax has excellent papers to reach the next round of the billion-dollar ball: 82 times before a club started the tournament with three victories and each time the next round was reached.
Apart from a wavering start, in which Ajax did not get a foothold, there was no reason for Erik ten Hag to be dissatisfied with the first half. Ajax created enough opportunities, led 2-0 and had Borussia Dortmund in the grip for large parts of the first half. The team from Amsterdam could only blame themselves that the score was not even higher before half-time. In the ninth minute Ajax already had two good chances. Mats Hummels narrowly averted Antony’s shot with a sliding tackle; the ensuing corner created a great opportunity for Daley Blind, who passed Manuel Akanji and into the short corner on goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Magnificent! ?? Captain Tadic puts Ajax ahead against Dortmund with a Schöne-like free kick ?? Another fantastic start for the team from Amsterdam! ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #AJABVB pic.twitter.com/1Jx6GhBb8I
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 19, 2021
Two minutes later it was still a hit for Ajax. Dusan Tadic was allowed to build on the right flank, on the edge of the penalty area, for a free kick. Marco Reus grazed the ball with his head, so that it ended up in the far corner and Kobel had no chance. Halfway through the first half, Ajax expanded the margin. Blind took over the ball in the axis of the field, about 25 meters from the goal, combined with Sébastien Haller, got the ball back and hit the inside of the post just outside the penalty area. Haller could have taken care of the 3-0 himself after a nice attack, but was unable to promote a heel ball from Berghuis to an assist: he hit Kobel.
Blind excels against Dortmund: ‘This is a piece of recognition’
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Two minutes before half time, a free kick by Gravenberch exploded onto the post, via the fingertips of the Dortmund keeper. On the other side, Haaland counterattacked for the visitors’ only shot on goal in the first half. Remko Pasveer parried his shot from inside the penalty area. Shortly after the break, Pasveer prevented the Dortmund star from scoring again. After a long ball from the back from Hummels, Haaland suddenly appeared behind the last line of Ajax and he was able to full from the sixteen-meter line. Pasveer stretched completely and tapped his effort against the bar, causing Ajax to escape with a fright.
Remco Pasveer! ?? Martinez gives Haaland a meter and the striker is gone ?? Pasveer saves beautifully on the hard ass of the Norwegian ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #AJABVB pic.twitter.com/srHrWcKcNg
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 19, 2021
On the other hand, Gravenberch missed a good chance at 3-0 when his effort was turned back by Kobel, but Antony still scored the third goal. Haller headed the ball through to the Brazilian, who skilfully turned past Emre Can and found the far left corner. In the following phase it was noticeable that Dortmund did not give in and Haaland once again encountered Pasveer with a great shooting opportunity from the sixteen meter area. Ajax held their ground and managed to expand the margin on the other side of the field even further. Blind sent a pass to Haller, who easily held off Emre Can and headed in the opposite direction. The striker scored his sixth goal of the Champions League campaign and is the tournament’s top scorer.