Jan Vertonghen forced an own goal from Haller to cancel out Dusan Tadic's opener before Haller restored Ajax' lead and then Roman Yaremchuk headed home Benfica's second equaliser of the night.
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Sebastian Haller scored at booths ends as Ajax were held to a 2-2 draw by Benfica in the Champions League last-16 first leg fixture at Estadio da Luz on Wednesday. The Ivory Coast striker now has 11 goals in his first seven Champions League games, the highest tally ever by a debutant in Europe’s top club competition. Dusan Tadic put Ajax in front early in the match before Holler deflected a cross from Jan Vertonghen into his own net. However, just before the half-hour mark, the prolific striker restored Ajax’s lead with his 11 goal in the competition. But Benfica fought back to level the score through Roman Yaremchuk, eighteen minutes from time.
⏰ RESULT ⏰
Benfica and Ajax produce a thriller in Lisbon ?
? Who are you backing to progress?#UCL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 23, 2022
Benfica started the match on the driving seat as Darwin Nunez’ header from a free-kick went straight to Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer. But the visitors took the lead, against the run of play through Tadic on 18 minutes. Right-back Noussair Mazraoui stole the ball from Alex Grimaldo, played a give-and-go with Antony before delivering the cross for Tadic to volley in from 12 yards out.
In response, Rafa Silva made a darting run down the right before testing Pasveer at the near post before the hosts equalised from the resulting corner on 26 minutes. Vertonghen’s initial effort was blocked by the Ajaz defence, but the defender managed to keep hold of the ball and sent in a low, hard cross from the left which deflected off Haller and went in.
But the 27-year-old prolific striker made amends just three minutes later when he tapped home a rebound after the Benfica keeper made a decent save from Alex Grimaldo’s cross that deflected off Vertonghen. Two minutes before the break, Haller could have doubled the lead when Edson Alvarez’ effort struck the post and fell to his path but the Ivorian steered the ball wide from close range.
In the group stage, Haller became the first man to score 10 goals in his first six games in Europe’s top-tier competition as Ajax won all their matches. After the break, Tadic’s effort from Holler’s pass went over the crossbar. Julien Weigl played a brilliant overhead ball to pick Mazraoui on the right side of the penalty area, but the full-back was denied by Pasveer at the near post.
At the other end, Silva led a quick counter-attack as he raced from his own half before his crucial pass into the box was intercepted by Jurrien Timber. Silva once again broke free down the right flank, squared the ball to Goncalo Ramos, whose powerful long-range effort was saved by Pasveer but substitute Roman Yaremchuk beat Steve Berghuis to the ball to head home Benfica’s second equaliser of the night on 72 minutes.
