SM
Thursday, March 28
Upcoming predictions and previews
JL
Champions League | Quarter-Finals
Apr 16, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
A

1-2

Ronaldo (28')
FT(HT: 1-1)
van de Beek (34'), de Ligt (67')

Live Commentary: Juventus 1-2 Ajax (2-3 on aggregate) - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Juventus 1-2 Ajax (2-3 on aggregate) - as it happened: ID:355771: from db_amp
Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of Ajax's 2-1 win over Juventus in Turin as the Dutch side advanced through to the Champions League semi-finals.

Ajax produced a second-leg comeback to overcome Juventus 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

With the game locked at 1-1 from the first leg, the Dutch side fell a goal behind half an hour into the second leg through Cristiano Ronaldo's header.

The visitors were the better side, though, and they deservedly scored either side of half time thanks to Donny van de Beek's composed finish and Matthijs de Ligt's header.

Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League quarter-final second leg between Juventus and Ajax at the Allianz Stadium.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a crucial away goal for Juve in last week's first leg in Amsterdam, but the Dutch giants hit back through David Neres to keep the tie alive.

Ajax are aiming to reach the last four of UEFA's elite club competition for the first time since 1997, while Juventus are on course for a third semi appearance in five years.

JUVENTUS TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Szczesny; De Sciglio, Bonucci, Rugani, Sandro; Can, Pjanic, Matuidi; Bernardeschi, Dybala, Ronaldo

SUBS: Bentancur, Barzagli, Khedira, Pinsoglio, Kean, Cancelo, Spinazzola

AJAX TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Onana; Veltman, De Ligt, Blind, Mazraoui; Schone, De Jong; Ziyech, Van de Beek, Neres; Tadic

SUBS: De Wit, Huntelaar, Sinkgraven, Magallan, Dolberg, Varela, Ekkelenkamp

KICKOFF:  Juventus made nine changes between the first leg and their shock weekend defeat to SPAL, and Allegri goes with nine changes again today. Cancelo and Bentancur started both games but are replaced by Can and De Sciglio today. As for the visitors, Schone and Veltman return to the side from the 6-2 win over Excelsior. Juve get us up and running!
Veltman catches Ronaldo with an arm to the eye with about 11 seconds of the match played. Ajax have clearly been told to get as tight as possible to Juve's star performer, though perhaps not that tight!
CLOSE!  De Sciglio is unable to find the target with his first-time attempt. The hosts have been brilliant with their pressing early on, nearly forcing Ajax goalkeeper Onana into a costly error, his attempted clearance hitting Ronaldo and flashing wide.
There is a stoppage in play as Mazraoui has picked up what looks to be a pretty bad injury. The Ajax left-back caught Dybala with a foot to the face and then appeared to get his other boot stuck in the ground.
Mazraoui, filling in for Tagliafico tonight, is back on the pitch for the time being. Juventus have not really been allowed to find any real rhythm to their game in the opening eight minutes of this second leg.
It looks to be bad news for Ajax - Mazraoui goes down once again and stays down. Ten Hag will have to make a change, with Sinkgraven being readied to come on. The visitors could have moved Blind over to the left-hand flank but have opted against doing so.
AJAX SUB! Sinkgraven, who has started just one game all season, comes on for the injured Mazraoui. This has been an incredibly scrappy game so far, as Matuidi is penalised for catching Schone a little late.
The deep free kick goes right through for Szczesny to collect. Schone, who is one booking away from missing the semi-finals, is fortunate to avoid a booking for catching Sandro late. There have been a series of niggling fouls in Turin.
I'm not sure you'll see a scrappier game anywhere in the Champions League this season. Only 15 minutes have been played at the Allianz Stadium but neither team has been able to string passes together as it has been stop-start throughout.
De Sciglio plays a shocking pass towards Sandro on the opposite flank and is bailed out by his teammate. Nearly a quarter of the game has been played and I don't recall Ziyech or Neres having a touch of the ball yet. Juve are in control.
This is a promising moment for Ajax as the ball is worked to Ziyech on the right. The Ajax winger cuts back on himself and is quickly crowded out. That is better from the visitors, who need to score at least once this evening.
CHANCE!  Neres does well to create a bit of space. The attack appeared to break down but Van de Beek gets on the end of the loose ball but is unable to pick out the back of the net from just a few yards out. What a huge chance that was for the Dutch side!
SAVE!  Dybala has a shot from range but it is a simple save for Onana to make. Juve are still not anywhere near full flow, but they have to step things up as Ajax could so easily have edged in front in the tie through that Van de Beek chance.
Ajax are enjoying a prolonged spell on the ball. The ball is worked across to Veltman towards the right but he neither shoots nor crosses the ball, almost passing it out of play for a Juve goal kick. The visiting side are on top.
GOAL!  JUVENTUS 1-0 AJAX (CRISTIANO RONALDO)
GOAL!  Juventus take the lead through that man Ronaldo! Bernardeschi cuts inside but his shot is blocked behind for a corner. The set-piece delivery from Pjanic is perfect, sent in towards the edge of the six-yard box for Ronaldo to power home the header. However, the referee has been asked to review the goal by VAR...

After a two-minute stoppage the goal is allowed to stand. Veltman was sent flying inside the box but the referee felt that the contact was either minimal or potentially made by one of the full-back's teammates. Correct call!
Ronaldo has now scored nine goals vs. Ajax - only vs. Juventus (10) he has scored more in the Champions League. Juventus are now looking a lot more confident, scoring just at a time when Ajax were on top and enjoying a spell on the ball.
Pjanic has a go but is unable to find a way through. Ajax need to compose themselves because they were looking fairly lively for a five-minute spell before Ronaldo's goal. The Portuguese forward may once again prove the difference over the two legs.
GOAL!  JUVENTUS 1-1 AJAX (DONNY VAN DE BEEK)
GOAL!  As cool as you like from Van de Beek! Ajax are on level terms, and this away goal could be massive for them. Ziyech's shot falls into the path of Van de Beek, and, having held his run, he tucks the ball past Szczesny. Like Ronaldo's goal, it will go to VAR...

The referee does not check his pitchside monitor - the goal is allowed to stand. There was talk of a handball infringement in the build-up to Van de Beek's goal, but it was hard to spot in the replay.
This second leg started slowly but the last 10 minutes have been full of drama and entertainment. It is as you were in terms of the scoreline - if it stays this way then we will head to extra time and possibly penalties.
Szczesny takes an age to make the clearance and he is closed down, but it hits the arm of Tadic. Juventus have lost their way since Ajax equalised, stunned by the way their opponents responded to their own setback. What a second half we are in store for!
Can goes on a driving run towards the opposition box and is sent tumbling by Blind. The referee waved play on and replays show that was a great call - Can looked for the contact. Ajax charge forward but Sinkgraven runs out of space.
There has not been a great deal between the sides in the first half of this second leg, which is reflected in the scoreline as we approach half time. De Sciglio is clearly frustrated and he takes it out on Van de Beek, shoving his opponent off the pitch.
There continues to be a number of niggling fouls, which is perhaps understandable when the stakes are so high. Dybala appears to have picked up an injury - he may well have pulled his hamstring. Allegri may have to turn to his bench.
Dybala does not look comfortable but he is still on the pitch for now. Five minutes have been added on at the end of the first half, mainly down to the VAR checks after both goals. It goes without saying that the next goal in this tie is huge.
De Ligt fouls Ronaldo around 25 yards from goal - perfect shooting range from the free kick. Ronaldo wins the right to take on the free kick right at the end of the first half, but he fires it into the Ajax wall.
HALF TIME:  JUVENTUS 1-1 AJAX
The two sides go into half time locked at 1-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate - there really is nothing between them. Ronaldo scored his fifth knockout-round goal in Juve colours to put them in front, but Ajax hit back six minutes later through Van de Beek.
Ajax, unbeaten in their last four away meetings with Italian opposition, looked a little nervy in the opening exchanges as Andre Onana's attempted clearance struck Cristiano Ronaldo and flashed wide of the target. The hosts struggled to find any sort of rhythm to their game in the opening quarter, though, and it took until the 22nd minute for Paulo Dybala to test Onana for the first time.
Donny van de Beek squandered a far better opportunity for Ajax, somehow failing to convert from close range when a loose ball bounced into his path, and his side were a goal behind soon after. Ronaldo was left in space to power home a header from Miralem Pjanic's corner following some poor defending from the Dutch visitors.
Only six minutes were required for Ajax to respond, though, as Hakim Ziyech's shot deflected into the path of Van de Beek, who kept his composure to convert past Wojciech Szczesny - just his second goal in the competition. Neither side created any further chances in the remainder of the half, so it remains finely poised with 45 minutes of normal time to go.

JUVENTUS SUBS: Bentancur, Barzagli, Khedira, Pinsoglio, Kean, Cancelo, Spinazzola

AJAX SUBS: De Wit, Huntelaar, Magallan, Dolberg, Varela, Ekkelenkamp

KICKOFF:  Ajax get us back underway at the Allianz Stadium! Allegri has turned to his bench at the break, bringing on Kean for the injured Dybala. Will we go the distance or can one of the sides win the tie in normal time?
The onus, you feel, is now on Juventus to score the next goal of this tie. Ajax would probably accept extra time, but that is not to say they will sit back for the next 40 minutes or so. Juve are not really creating much so far.
Ronaldo plays it through for Matuidi, who cannot quite lay it into the path of Kean. Juve are dominating possession but they need to start turning it into chances. Onana has not had a great deal to do.
SHOT!  Tadic holds the ball up and is offered support by Van de Beek. Ajax keep hold of the ball high up the field, working it from the right, to the left and then through the middle. The shot eventually arrives from Van de Beek and deflects off Sandro in front of goal.
SAVE!  Blind gets on the end of the corner but cannot keep his effort on target. Moments later Ajax are in again as Neres pounces on a sloppy pass in midfield, slots in Ziyech and Szczesny produces a superb save near his front post.
Szczesny stayed strong to keep out that powerful shot from Ziyech, denying the Ajax winger with his left hand. The visitors should be in front!
A cross comes into the centre and Ronaldo is there - as he always is - but he gets under it and the attempt sails off target. Juve are struggling to create anything from open play, unlike opponents Ajax who really are fearless.
Ajax are playing some unbelievable football. Ziyech and Neres link up in a central position outside the box and the former gets a shot away, which is blocked just inside the box. The ball does arrive in the area, though, and Tadic's shot is also blocked.
SAVE!  Szczesny produces another top-class save to keep the game all square. After a sustained spell of pressure, Van de Beek opens up his body and looks for the far corner, but Szczesny gets his fingertips to it. Ajax are looking superb!
Juventus' last shot on target in this game was in the 31st minute - that says an awful lot. Ajax have been the better side and deserve to be in front. Allegri is surprisingly holding off from turning to his bench for the second time today.
SHOT!  Ronaldo controls the ball, spins in behind and puts it into Kean's path. De Ligt does well to put the young striker off and his shot is off target. That is as close as Juventus have come to scoring since Ronaldo's 28th-minute opener.
CHANCE!  Ajax may live to rue failing to take these opportunities. Tadic is played in on goal but the angle is against him. The makeshift striker should probably take on the shot but he tries to play it across goal to Ziyech, only for Pjanic to cut it out.
De Ligt sends his header wide from the corner. Allegri has seen enough - Cancelo is on for De Sciglio at right-back. Will that make any difference? It is a like-for-like change so the Juve boss is not exactly gambling.
CHANCE!  Ziyech is played into space in the box but, like Tadic before him, he decides to go for the pass instead of shooting. It is the wrong choice as the ball is again cut out. This is proper domination from Ajax now - they have to score!
GOAL!  JUVENTUS 1-2 AJAX (MATTHIJS DE LIGT)
This second-half performance from Ajax has been something else - they deservedly lead through captain fantastic De Ligt! The young centre-back outjumps everyone in the box to power a corner into the back of the net. Juventus now need two goals.

YELLOW CARD!  Can shoves over Ziyech and Ajax have a free kick. That goal has not changed anything - Ajax are still the dominant side, looking good value for a fourth goal of the tie.
SHOT!  Schone's free kick does not have enough whip on it. The ball makes it over the wall but is slightly off target. Allegri needs to make another change - his team do not look like scoring another goal, never mind the two more they need to progress.
Ajax have now scored 155 goals this season in all comps, a joint-club record (also 155 in 2009-10). Juventus still have no control of the game and their supporters are beginning to grow agitated. Onana scuffs his clearance out of play.
CHANCE!  It should be game over! Ziyech lifts the ball over the top and Neres has the opportunity to kill off Juve. The winger miscues his first-time shot, though, and Szczesny does not even have to make a save in the end. What a let-off for the hosts!
Ronaldo's shot deflects behind for a corner. Ajax clear their lines and they have another decent opportunity to kill off the tie for good. The visitors are guilty of trying one pass too many and the shot does not arrive.
DISALLOWED GOAL!  Ziyech sends an absolute beauty of a shot into the top corner of Szczesny's net, moments after a mixture of Ronaldo and Kean had an attempt kept out by Onana, but it is ruled out for offside. There is a VAR check and it is decided that Ziyech was offside.
AJAX SUB! Magallan, who has never played in the Champions League proper, takes over from Sinkgraven - the sub is subbed. Juventus also make a change, with Bentancur on for Bernardeschi, who has been very quiet today.
The tempo of the game has dropped massively over the last five minutes, which will suit Ajax just fine. They are on the brink of another famous victory, and it will be fully deserved. Juventus have not turned up; the visitors have been brilliant.
Somebody needs to tell Juventus that they need two goals - there is no real urgency to their game. Ronaldo has been quiet by his own standards, even taking his goal into the equation, and it looks like his run of successive Champions League wins is over.
Ziyech, who has been superb in this second half, makes way for Huntelaar for the closing stages. Bar a massive collapse, Ajax are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 1997. What a year it has been for them!
Bentancur wants a penalty as his cross appeared to hit the arm of Blind in the Ajax box. The referee allows play to continue and then checks in with the video officials, and it is decided that it is not worthy of a review.
FULL TIME:  JUVENTUS 1-2 AJAX
AJAX ARE THROUGH TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS, 3-2 ON AGGREGATE
Ajax are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 22 years thanks to a 3-2 aggregate win against Juventus! With the game locked at 1-1 from the first leg, the Dutch side fell a goal behind half an hour into the second leg through Ronaldo's header. Ajax were the better side, though, and they deservedly scored either side of half time thanks to Van de Beek's composed finish and De Ligt's header.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Allianz Stadium. Thanks for joining us this evening!

➡️ ON-THE-WHISTLE REPORT

➡️ PLAYER STATS

➡️ MATCH STATS

amp_article__355771 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-04-17 04:57:00:
html db last update - 2021-03-11 05:31:52 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter Milan29244171145776
2AC Milan29195555332262
3Juventus29178444232159
4Bologna29159542251754
5Roma29156855352051
6Atalanta BCAtalanta28145951321947
7Napoli29129844331145
8Fiorentina2812794132943
9Lazio29134123633343
10Monza2911993236-442
11Torino29101182826241
12Genoa29810113136-534
13Lecce29610132645-1928
14Udinese29415102844-1627
15Hellas VeronaHellas Verona2968152639-1326
16CagliariCagliari2968152950-2126
17Empoli2967162243-2125
18FrosinoneFrosinone2966173760-2324
19SassuoloSassuolo2965183356-2323
20Salernitana2928192359-3614
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .