Mueez Ajao
– Darwin Nunez struck late in the second half as Benfica beat Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday night to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals on the back of a 3-2 aggregate win following a 1-0 victory in the second leg.
– It was all to play for at the Johan Cruyff Arena as the teams came into the deciding leg of the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate after their match at the Estadio da Luz in Portugal on Feb. 23.
– The hosts had the better of possession and shots on goal in a cagey first half, but neither team could score and the game went into half-time locked in a 0-0 draw.
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– Ajax continued to force the issue in the second half, but it was Benfica that found the crucial first when Nunez outjumped his defender and headed past an onrushing Andre Onana to stake his team to a lead they would not relinquish.
– The result sees Benfica — into the last-8 for the fifth time in club history — join Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, who beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the day’s other round-of-16 match, in the quarterfinals.
– The remaining quarterfinal spots will be decided in Wednesday’s last two round-of-16 second legs when Lille host Chelsea trailing 2-0 and Villarreal face Juventus in Turin with the tie level at 1-1.
