Ajax ingloriously knocked out in Champions League by Liverpool | Ajax in Champions League

By Johan Inan

For the first time in five years, Ajax has no prospect of a place in the eighth final during the last group match in the Champions League. The Amsterdammers had to beat Liverpool for that. And although Ajax once again made a serious claim to this after three torments, Alfred Schreuder’s team again got into the knife and the ambitious national champion is now wintering one step lower after last year’s clear group stage, in the Europa League.

Schreuder suggested one day that the squatter still believes in wintering in the Champions League. For that, Ajax had to win with at least two goals difference and that was especially important for Ajax. Take to the field with confidence and bravado, show guts to the ball and cover well without the ball. His unchanged squad, with Brian Brobbey at center forward, Davy Klaassen in midfield and Jorge Sanchez at right-back, once managed to harmonize both forwards and backwards, but against an errant and battered Liverpool, it happened. that’s not nearly long enough.

Forty minutes to be exact, during which Ajax made as many goal attempts in the first fifteen minutes as during the entire agony at Anfield. A unique series of defeats and sporting crisis began there last month. It was especially Steven Berghuis who gave shape to a resurrection, by bringing a defensively defensive Ajax in Volendam and Waalwijk to the top of the Eredivisie. One goal was even better than the other. Kassa, the supporters also suspected when the left leg appeared free for Alisson Becker after a few minutes on the indication of pointing point Brobbey, were it not for Berghuis’ shoving the ball on the post.

Not much later, the midfielder shot just wide. Sanchez didn’t do much better moments later. The greatest opportunity was yet to come. After a nice Ajax attack, the Liverpool defense, led by Orange captain Virgil van Dijk, seemed to be beaten, but captain Dusan Tadic decided on a tic that could still be turned on the goal line by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Ajax grabbed the lifeline that could still lead to the European elite but not. And worse: just like during the historic disgrace against Napoli, it disappeared completely from view shortly before and after the break.

Liverpool were also able to lift the margin to three at crucial moments with a higher gear. And in doing so, old ailments came to light again. First Jorge Sanchez lost a header to Jordan Henderson, who with a beautiful pass was able to let Mohammed Salah take advantage of a routine who didn’t squeeze (Daley Blind) and a routine who was just too proactive (Remko Pasveer). As is often the case, Ajax was very upset about that. A minute later, Darwin Nuñez hit the post.

Liverpool’s second and the first of the executioner from earlier this year against Benfica in the eighth final came at the start of the second half. Nuñez was the umpteenth time who knocked Ajax in the air and showed that the evolution of the team from Amsterdam is rattling on all sides for the time being. Three minutes later it was 0-3 when Harvey Elliot could be launched by Salah. The young midfielder pushed the ball into the roof of the goal from a difficult angle: 0-3.

And with that, Elliot shattered Ajax’s last ray of hope for a ticket for the knockout phase of the premier class. Because Rangers also lost in Naples and made it even more colorful, Ajax only remains a defeat with five goals difference in Scotland on Tuesday empty-handed. Ajax will therefore most likely play in the Europa League after the turn of the year. That is little consolation for the club that sees the European elite as a holy grail, but after a faltering transformation, is miles away from it, especially from a defensive point of view.

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