 It wasa great night for Ajax's young players |
Ajax made it through to the quarter finals of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw with AS Roma in Group B.
The result takes them through at the expense of Arsenal, who were beaten 2-1 in Valencia.
The score also meant that for the second successive year, Fabio Capello's Roma exit the competition after the final game of the second group stage.
Last season, a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool put them out after they had led the group going into the game.
The Dutch side made a flying start, taking the lead after 36 seconds with Andy van der Meyde cutting in from the left flank and firing a superb shot past the sprawling Ivan Pelizzoli.
Roma responded in the 23rd minute when French midfielder Vincent Candela split the Dutch defence with a perfect pass into the path of Antonio Cassano who coolly converted.
QUARTER-FINALISTS Group A: Barcelona (Spa), Inter Milan (Ita) Group B: Valencia (Spa), Ajax (Ned) Group C: AC Milan (Ita), Real Madrid (Spa) Group D: Manchester United (Eng), Juventus (Ita) |
Two minutes later Roma's Brazilian defender Aldair struck the bar with a thundering strike from the edge of the Ajax penalty area.
Roma went close again the 61st minute when Ajax keeper Bogdan Lobant was forced into a superb save, tipping over a dangerous free-kick from Candela.
Substitute Diego Fuser wasted a good chance for Roma three minutes from the end as the Italians searched in vain for a winner.
Roma: Pelizzoli, Cufre, Panucci, Aldair, Candela, Cafu (Fuser 79), Tommasi (Guigou 79), Emerson, Lima (Montella 67), Delvecchio, Cassano.
Subs Not Used: Antonioli, Sartor, Ferronetti, De Rossi.
Booked: Delvecchio, Cufre, Aldair.
Ajax: Lobont, Trabelsi, Pasanen, Chivu, O'Brien (Van Damme 90), Van der Meyde (Sikora 71), Pienaar, Van der Vaart, Galasek, Maxwell, Ibrahimovic (Witschge 90), Van Damme.
Subs Not Used: Didulica, De Jong, Yakubu, Boukhari.
Booked: Galasek, Lobont.
Attendance: 62,000
Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany).
MMIX
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