Ajax reach Champions League knockouts for first time in 13 years

Dutch giants Ajax booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time since 2005 with a 2-0 win at AEK Athens on Tuesday.

In a game marred by crowd trouble, with flares thrown into the away end, the Amsterdam side needed a win in Greece to secure their progression before Bayern Munich faced Benfica later in the day.

With the contest seemingly meandering to a 0-0 draw, Dusan Tadic was the hero for the visitors, converting from the penalty spot with 22 minutes remaining before adding a second four minutes later to secure his side's first knockout berth in 13 years.

The first was handed to him, literally, when Marko Livaja was penalized for a handball following a Frenkie De Jong free-kick. Already on a yellow card, the unfortunate Livaja was sent off, and Tadic made no mistake from the spot.

Four minutes later, Tadic was the grateful recipient at the end of a neat team move, as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar played the ball off for him to slide home into an empty net.

The last time Ajax progressed through the group stage, in 2005-06, they were promptly dumped out of the competition in the next round by Inter Milan. This time, a youthful, stylish team will likely have loftier ambitions. Whatever happens in Bayern vs. Benfica, Ajax will be able to win Group E by beating Bayern at home on the final matchday on Dec. 12.