Benfica 2-2 Ajax: goals from Tadic, Haller and Yaremchuk | The match

There is no second-rate eighth-final. In Lisbon, Benfica and Ajax get stuck in a sparkling 2-2, made up of nerves, yellow cards, dribbling and a pinch of patriotism. In the first half hour everything happens, from Tadic’s advantage to Haller’s own goal, then patched up with the goal of the same Ivorian. In the second half Yaremchuk heads the tie and proudly displays the symbol of his country, worried about the fate of Ukraine.

The other Dusan

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Don’t make the mistake of underestimating Da Luz’s eighth final, overshadowed on Wednesday night in the Champions League by the big match between Atlético Madrid and Manchester United. In Lisbon the start of the match is in fact very funny and in the first half hour the audience of the Portuguese capital sees three goals. After a confused and not very productive first phase, the first ring is from Ajax captain, Dusan Tadic, on 18 ‘. The hosts lose a ball on the left during construction and the pressing of the Lancers immediately turns into one of those actions of Erik Ten Hag’s team that make you want to become members of the Eredivisie: cross from the right by Noussair Mazraoui, Lusitanian defense disconcerting for generosity in marking and ball under seven of the Serbian center forward. All alone, in the area, with the serenity to take aim and puncture Odysseas Vlachodimos.

“Parsley” Haller

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The reaction of the hosts matures within a few minutes, with the preview of a gust of Rafa Silva from the right turned off by Remko Pasveer with some thrills. On the resulting corner kick, however, the top scorer of the competition seems unable to resist the temptation to score, whatever the goal. Jan Vertonghen’s low shot was in fact deflected into the goal by an awkward touch from Sebastian Haller in the 26th minute: an own goal by the Ivorian, unlucky. That it is his year, however, he remembers it himself in first person a couple of turns of the clock later: Jurrien Timber pushes from the left ball and chain and looks for his striker in the area, but this time it is the same Vertonghen to accidentally divert. Vlachodimos repels friendly fire, but Haller swoops on the ball and gives Ajax the lead. The naturalized Ivorian French striker could also find a brace before the break but, on Edson Alvarez’s nice cross post, his counter misses the mirror to the beaten goalkeeper.

Patriotic

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In the second half the scene takes off initially the nervousness, with a couple of admonitions within a few actions to testify the physicality of a hot match. The hosts show a flaming desire to equalize, with attempts that scare Pasveer several times: Everton touches the post with a deflected shot, Darwin Nunez misses a tap-in on a cue from Rafa Silva and then kicks to the side, crossing power. Roman Yaremchuk is Nelson Verissimo’s first move, while Mazraoui looks for a set denied by Vlachodimos. To push more effectively for a goal, however, it is the hosts, who in the 72nd minute catch up again: Ramos’s powerful shot is saved by Pasveer, but the bell tower of the ball is baptized at the net by the head of Yaremchuk . Scoreboard on 2-2, away the game shirt and t-shirt with the trident of Ukraine, the tryzub, for the former Gent. The rest are skirmishes, we meet again in Amsterdam. Maybe with good news from the front.