Share

Ajax book Europa League spot

Amsterdam - Ajax hammered APOEL Nicosia 4-0 on Wednesday to advance to the Europa League by finishing third in Group F of the Champions League.

Both sides had failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League before the match at Amsterdam Arena. Barcelona topped the group by beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 at Camp Nou.

Denmark midfielder Lasse Schone scored either side of half-time, with his first coming from the penalty spot, and Davy Klaassen headed the third after a mazy run by teenage winger Ricardo Kishna in the 53rd minute.

Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik made it 4-0 in the 74th minute to give Ajax their first Champions League win of the season and hand the Cypriots their second straight 4-0 defeat.

"We had trouble breaking them down in the first half," Schone said. "Luckily we scored just before the break and played out the second half very well."

APOEL defended staunchly in the first half, hoping to score on the break to secure the win they needed to advance to the Europa League.

But Schone finally broke the resistance, scoring a penalty with the last touch of the half after Marios Antoniades had brought down Milik.

Schone doubled the lead in the 50th minute, firing home after Milik had a shot blocked.

Three minutes later Kishna weaved past APOEL's crumbling defence and crossed from the left for Klaassen's header. Milik finally got on the scoresheet with his first Champions League goal after a Klaassen pass split the defence again.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE