Match Report: Ajax 2 - 1 Barcelona - Ajax hold on to beat Barcelona

             

Amsterdam ArenA: Ajax 2 (Serero 19, Hoesen 41) Barcelona 1 (Xavi 49)

Ajax managed to hold on to beat Barcelona to keep their Champions League campaign alive, sealing a 2-1 win in Amsterdam.

The Dutch side were forced to play most of the second half with ten men, after Joel Veltman was sent off just after half-time.
However, first half goals from Thulani Serero and Danny Hoesen were enough, despite Xavi's penalty giving Barcelona hope in the second half.
Ajax started the game superbly, not allowing a depleted Barcelona to settle into any sort of rhythm of possession, pressing high up the pitch in a manner in which the Catalans are of course very familiar.
And the pressing paid off in the 19th minute, when the hugely impressive Serero gave the hosts the lead. Ricardo van Rhijn broke down the right flank and fired in a powerful low cross, and Serero, breaking from midfield, was there to sweep home.

The lead was doubled after 41 minutes, again as a result of some fine pressing by the Ajax forwards. Javier Mascherano gave the ball away on the edge of the Ajax area, the ball broke to Davy Klaassen whose shot was blocked, straight into the path of Hoesen. His shot took a deflection off Gerard Pique and skipped into the net, giving Ajax a two-goal lead at half time they thoroughly deserved.
The complexion of the game changed immediately after the break, when a loose Ricardo van Rhijn pass allowed Neymar to run through on goal. He was fouled by Veltman, and although it looked like the foul took place outside the box, a penalty was awarded and the Ajax man was dismissed.
The Dutch side withstood huge pressure for the rest of the half, defending resolutely in the face of relentless Barcelona attacks. However, stout defending kept Gerardo Martino's side out, giving them their first defeat in any competition this season.
Ajax will now face AC Milan in the final game, still needing a win to go through. Barcelona have qualified, but require a point against Celtic to confirm top spot in the group.
KEY MOMENTS
PRE-MATCH - It's quite a depleted team for Barcelona tonight, but necessarily so. Lionel Messi, Xavi, Victor Valdes, Jordi Alba, Adriano and Dani Alves are all injured, while Alexis Sanchez is suspended.
19' - GOAL! SERERO GIVES AJAX THE LEAD - So simple. Van Rhijn belts a low cross over from the right, and Serero arrives late from midfield to sweep home. They deserved that.
41' - GOAL - HOESEN MAKES IT TWO! That stemmed from a poor pass from Mascherano, who gave the ball away near the edge of the Barca box. It breaks to Klaasen who shoots, it's blocked then breaks to Hoesen, whose shot deflects in off Pique.
47' - Well, that's turned things around - Neymar breaks through and is taken out by Veltman, who is correctly sent off. It looked outside the area, but the referee points to the spot.
49' - ...AND XAVI PULLS ONE BACK. He sent the keeper the wrong way, and it's game on in Amsterdam.
TALKING POINT: More youngsters do Ajax proud - This was not so much a brilliant performance by Ajax as two. In the first half they pressed Barcelona high up the pitch, superbly limiting their passing game and forcing their defence into several costly mistakes. However, after the sending off and Barcelona's goal, they dropped much deeper and allowed Barca to pass the ball around, but crowded them out as they reached the attacking third. Klaassen, Moisander and Serero were all superb, and Ajax have yet another fine crop of young players. One just hopes this team will stay together a bit longer.
KEY STATS
Barcelona had a whopping 64% possession in the 90 minutes.
However, they only managed two shots on target, one of them Xavi's penalty.
Ajax, on the other hand, managed five on target, ten in total.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Niklas Moisander (Ajax): The young defender was quite superb as Ajax defended for the majority of the second half, keeping Neymar quiet and repelling most attacks that Barcelona threw at the Dutch side.
PLAYER RATINGS
AJAX: Cillessen 7,Van Rhijn 6, Veltman 5, Moisander 9, Boilesen 8; Klaassen 8, Blind 9, Serero 8; Schöne 8, Hoesen 8, Fischer 7. SUBS: Poulsen 6, Denswil 7, Duarte 6.
BARCELONA: Pinto 5; Puyol 5, Pique 5, Mascherano 4, Montoya 5; Xavi 7, Song 6, Iniesta 7; Pedro 6, Cesc 6, Neymar 6. SUBS: Sergi Roberto 5, Traore 5, Patric 5