Benfica 2-2 Ajax: Ten Hag´s men forced to settle for share of the spoils in last-16 first leg

Ajax twice went ahead but were held to a 2-2 draw by Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Erik ten Hag’s team rifled in 20 goals in the group stages and picked up where they left off at the Estadio da Luz as Dusan Tadic struck first, before Sebastian Haller’s own goal levelled things up.

Haller made amends by restoring Ajax’s lead just four minutes later, becoming just the fifth player to score in seven straight games in the competition, yet Roman Yaremchuk equalised with 18 minutes remaining.

A hot-tempered finale did not produce a winner, with the draw leaving it all to play for in the return leg on March 15 at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Tadic showed composure to nudge his side ahead after 18 minutes with an expert right-footed finish into the top-right corner following Noussair Mazraoui’s bouncing cross.

Benfica responded quickly when Jan Vertonghen’s fizzing delivery cannoned off Haller into his own net, but the Ajax man atoned for his mistake shortly after.

The striker poked in a rebound from his own shot after smart work by Steven Berghuis, although Haller then turned wide with the goal gaping after Edson Alvarez had hit the post at the end of a frenetic first half.

A deflected Everton strike squirmed just past the upright after the interval, while Rafa’s low drive evaded Darwin Nunez, who would have had a tap-in had his despairing dive made contact.

Substitute Yaremchuk restored parity, though, as he bundled a header in following Remko Pasveer’s unconvincing save from Goncalo Ramos’ vicious long-range strike.

Antony was then perhaps fortunate to escape a red card for an apparent headbutt on Nunez, punished only with a booking that keeps him involved in a tie that hangs in the balance heading into the second leg.

What does it mean? Ajax miss record-breaking chance

Ajax already held the record for the most consecutive wins in the Champions League and European Cup by a Dutch side after opening up with six group-stage victories, but a triumph in Lisbon would have created more history.

Ten Hag’s side looked like becoming the first team outside of Europe’s top five leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain) to win seven straight matches across the history of the two competitions with a dominant performance in Portugal.

However, Yaremchuk’s late intervention makes it a one-legged shootout in the next meeting with Benfica, who are winless in their past seven encounters with Ajax in European competition.

Terrific Tadic 

Tadic continues to deliver for Ajax both in Europe and domestically. The playmaker has been involved in 28 goals (10 goals, 18 assists) in just 31 appearances this season.

Since the start of the 2018-19 season, he is one of only three players with 10-plus goals and assists in Europe’s premier club competition (10 goals, 11 assists), along with Kylian Mbappe and Riyad Mahrez.

Zero to hero for Haller

Haller became the first player to score a goal and an own goal in a Champions League knockout match since Dries Mertens in March 2017 (for Napoli vs Real Madrid).

His second finish, at the right end, made him the first player to find the net 11 times in his opening seven appearances in the competition, while he equalled the all-time Ajax record for goals in a single European campaign, level with Ruud Geels in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup.

What’s next?

Benfica return to domestic action at home to Vitoria on Sunday, when Ajax visit Go Ahead Eagles. The return leg of this tie is on March 15.