Despite a poor performance, coach Ralf Rangnick saved Manchester United’s chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while Ajax Amsterdam’s winning streak ended. Thanks to Anthony Elanga’s late goal (80th minute), United fought a flattering 1-1 (0-1) win at Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 first leg on Wednesday evening. Portugal’s national soccer player Joao Felix (7th) had previously given the Spaniards the lead. In the parallel game, Ajax did not get past a 2-2 (2-1) win at Benfica Lisbon after six wins in six group games. Dusan Tadic (18th) and premier class top scorer Sebastien Haller (29th) scored the Ajax goals, while substitute Roman Yaremchuk (72nd) secured Benfica the deserved draw. Previously, Haller (26th) had also hit his own goal. Ex-Dortmunder Julian Weigl played through with the Portuguese. The second leg will take place on March 15th.
Rangnick’s team showed a weak game over long stretches in Madrid. Atletico put the English on the defensive early on, and the hosts’ tactics paid off after just a few minutes. After a cross from Renan Lodi, 22-year-old Felix headed the ball into the goal. And then? Anyone who expected an angry reaction from Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Co. was disappointed. If the Red Devils stood out, it was mainly through mistakes. It was only shortly before the end that the English managed to get their goal after the Spaniards had been inattentive. After a fine pass from Bruno Fernandes, Elanga pushed the ball into the far corner.
Mixed evening: Amsterdam’s Sebastian Haller first scored in his own goal to make it 1-1 – then in Benfica’s to make it 2-1 (pictured, dark shirt).
(Photo: Imago/ANP)
In Lisbon, the game was tighter, even if Ajax were initially the superior team. The technical class of the Dutchman first flashed after a good quarter of an hour when Tadic promoted a cross into the corner to take the lead. After an own goal by ex-Frankfurter Haller, who deflected a low cross from Jan Vertonghen into his own goal, the Estádio da Luz found itself in a state of emergency for the first time. Just three minutes later, the Champions League top scorer scored the right goal after a mess in the Benfica penalty area – it was the Frenchman’s eleventh goal of the season. But then Benfica pushed and it was worth it. Substitute Yaremchuk dusted after a mistake by Ajax keeper Pasveer to the final score.