Ajax hammer Zagreb to consolidate second spot
Reuters - Wednesday 02 November 2011, 22:33
First-half goals by
Gregory van der Wiel and Miralem Sulejmani helped Ajax Amsterdam
to a 4-0 home win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday and kept the
Dutch side on track for a place in the Champions League last 16.
The Croats are bottom on no points and can now only fight
for third spot and a Europa League place with two games left.
A superb back-heel pass by Christian Eriksen played in Van
der Wiel, who first searched for a team-mate before deciding to
shoot and score the first on 20 minutes.
Siem de Jong set up Sulejmani five minutes later to double
the lead and De Jong sealed victory 20 minutes into the second
half. Nicolas Lodeiro grabbed a fourth in injury-time.
Ajax are second in Group D with seven points after four
matches, three ahead of next opponents Olympique Lyon. A scoring
draw in France on November 22 would send Frank de Boer's side
through.
Group leaders Real Madrid qualified for the knockout stages
by beating Lyon 2-0 away on Wednesday.
Ajax left their league woes of one win in six
matches behind them in a confident display against the
uninspired visitors.
"They surprised us a bit with their tactical plan but we
regained control and kept them under pressure," De Boer told
reporters.
The 4-0 scoreline also helped Ajax's goal difference
compared to Lyon if the head-to-head between the sides does not
come into play.
They drew 0-0 in Amsterdam in September.
"We know that a score draw will do in our next match at Lyon
but we are not a team that just can lean back on the counter
attack, so we will also try to play our own game in Lyon but
with cleverness," the coach added.