Ajax’s progress to last 16 marred by crowd trouble

Match Report

Nov 29, 2018 06:00 am

Ajax Amsterdam reached the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2005/06 after a Dusan Tadic brace gave the Dutch side a 2-0 win at 10-man AEK Athens in a match marred by crowd trouble at the Olympic Stadium yesterday morning (Singapore time).

The result left former European Cup winners Ajax second in Group E with 11 points from five games, two behind Bayern Munich who thrashed third-placed Benfica 5-1 later.

AEK, who had Marko Livaja sent off in the second half, are bottom without a point and have been eliminated from European competition after suffering a fifth straight defeat.

Riot police clashed with Ajax fans in the stadium before the match and some supporters had blood pouring down their faces.

Six Ajax fans as well as three police were hospitalised after violent confrontations with AEK supporters, Greek authorities said.

Spectators launched flares and a Molotov cocktail from the stands of the Olympic Stadium in the Greek capital, said an AFP photographer at the game. - AFP, REUTERS