Ajax lead APOEL 1-0 at the break in their Champions League match thanks to a penalty from Lasse Schone.
Frank de Boer's side threatened early on as Schone coasted down the left flank and fired a ball across the face of goal. The ball deflected into the path of Ricardo van Rhijn, but he failed to hit the target with a strike from the edge of the box.
Ajax had another good opportunity to take the lead when Ricardo Kishna found space down the left to whip a cross into the box for the advancing run of Arkadiuz Milik. The striker opted to go with a diving header rather than his foot, which proved to be the wrong decision as his effort was saved.
The home side took the lead just before the break when Milik was brought down in the penalty area by Marios Antoniades. Schone took the spot kick and fired his effort past Urko Pardo with ease.
