Luis Muriel (L) celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA
Champions League Group D football match between Ajax Amsterdam and
Atalanta Bergamo, at the Johan Cruijff stadium in Amsterdam, on
December 9, 2020. (Photo by Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP)
Atalanta secured a return to the Champions League
knockout stages on Wednesday following a 1-0 win at Ajax that sent
the Italians through as Group D runners-up behind
Liverpool.
Substitute Luis Muriel struck the decisive goal five minutes
from time, shortly after the dismissal of Ajax midfielder Ryan
Gravenberch in Amsterdam, as Atalanta won their fifth successive
away game in the competition.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had required just a point in their
final game to edge Ajax to second place.
Noussair Mazraoui (L) fights for the ball with Atalanta’s Swiss
midfielder Remo Freuler during the UEFA Champions League Group D
football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Atalanta Bergamo, at the
Johan Cruijff stadium in Amsterdam, on December 9, 2020. (Photo by
Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP)
They were just minutes away from reaching last season’s
semi-finals on their Champions League debut before conceding two
late goals to Paris Saint-Germain in the ‘Final Eight’ in
Lisbon.
“Reaching the round of 16 again is an extraordinary achievement.
This season even more than last year, because Liverpool and Ajax
are two traditionally huge teams,” Gasperini told Sky Sport
Italia.
“Defensively we did really well. Then we tried our best on the
break, and got that goal in the final minutes – deserved in my
opinion.”
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Four-time winners Ajax have now failed to progress from the
group stage for the seventh time in their past eight appearances,
and will drop into the last 32 of the Europa League.
Eighteen-year-old forward Brian Brobbey made his Champions
League debut for Ajax, replacing the injured Lassina Traore in an
attack also missing David Neres.
Atalanta, whose Serie A game at Udinese at the weekend was
postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, left Josip Ilicic, their
leading scorer during their run to the 2019-20 quarter-finals, on
the bench.
Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon sliced wide for Atalanta from 20
yards following a Duvan Zapata lay-off in a cautious first half,
with Brobbey removed at the break following an accidental collision
with team-mate Nicolas Tagliafico.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had a penalty appeal dismissed after he was
barged by Remo Freuler before Davy Klaassen drilled at the legs of
Atalanta goalkeeper Pierliugi Gollini following a subtle flick from
Jurgen Ekkelenkamp.
Teenager Gravenberch was sent off 10 minutes from time for a
second yellow after catching Atalanta captain Papu Gomez with his
trailing arm, and Muriel promptly delivered the fatal blow as he
ran onto Freuler’s pass and rounded Andre Onana before slotting
home.
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