Mazraoui delivers victory to Ajax in extremis | Football

For the Amsterdam team, the duel with the Portuguese was qualified as crucial in this group. In case of victory, the team of coach Erik Ten Hag could feel the next round in the champions ball.

Knowing that competitor Bayern Munich had won against AEK Athens (2-0), Benfica had to win a victory.

Onana

In the initial phase, it was complicated, so the Portuguese are certainly out of the corner. After 1 minute and 15 seconds, Rafa Silva was allowed to get up and put just right. André Onana also often saved the Ajax team.

Shortly after, Ajax had a good opportunity, but in the fourth minute, Benfica again had a very good opportunity at first base. Onana had already been beaten by the bet, but Matthijs de Ligt saved the ball.

Stamp

The balloon made waves, but the Amsterdam team had the best chance of the match in the person of Dolberg. After a fine back pass from Hakim Ziyech, the Danish striker was only allowed to score on goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimo, but his shot with the left was saved.

The French referee Ruddy Buquet scored the goal. He often whistled for a quick wipe, which certainly did not benefit the speed of the game.

Goalkeeper technology

Frenkie de Jong swung the ball in the 40th minute, De Ligt he kept it beautiful, after which Tagliafico the goalkeeper Vlachodimos betrayed. On the goal line, however, the ball was removed by a Benfica defender. The goal line technology also showed that the leather simply had not crossed the line. A minute later, Benfica became dangerous again, with some regularity with sharp markers making the defense of Ajax very difficult. The Amsterdams sometimes left too much space behind.

The teams were resting at 0-0, but they could also have been 2-2. After a break, there was a collision between Onana and Jardel and the goalkeeper stayed there for a moment, but luckily he was able to continue. Donny van de Beek had his first chance to shoot after the break in the 54th minute, but his attempt ended with a first ring. Two minutes later, a trained Ziyech led on the left side, but the shot did not come in either.

Van de Beek

But the Portuguese also let themselves be heard. Seferovic was unable to reach a center from the left. Shortly after, he fired a shot from the left on Ajax's goal, but Onana again resisted.

But Ajax got the best opportunity in the 73rd minute. At the counter via Tadic and Ziyech, the ball was dropped at the feet of Van de Beek. He was free to build from the age of sixteen, but the Greek closing station saved with his foot. A minute later, Ziyech gave a free kick in the corner, but there was again the longtime goalkeeper.

Mazraoui

The teams got tired, more sloppy and the chances became more and more rare. De Ligt was allowed to build just in advance, but the return of the Portuguese was worse for Benfica

Mazraoui thought differently at the time of injury. His shot flew into the corner from Grimaldo in the 92nd minute: 1 to 0.