Amsterdam, Dec. 8 (BNA): Sebastian Haller continued his goal streak to help Ajax Amsterdam finish the Champions League group stage by 100% as they beat Sporting Lisbon 4-2 at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday.
Haller became only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2017-2018 season to score in each of the six group stage matches, scoring an eighth-minute penalty to take his tally in the competition this year to 10, Reuters reported.
Sporting equalized through Nuno Santos in the 22nd minute, but Brazilian Anthony regained the Dutch team’s lead shortly before the end of the first half after a terrible defensive error from the visitors.
David Neres extended Ajax’s lead after 58 minutes, and four minutes later Stephen Burgess added the fourth goal, but Sporting rested in the 78th minute with Bruno Tabata’s resounding shot hitting the underside of the crossbar.
Ajax topped Group C with a maximum of 18 points while champions Portugal, already confirmed runners-up, finished with nine points, using the last game in the group to give several young players their first round in the European competition.
The match was played behind closed doors due to the restrictions imposed by the Dutch government after the increase in cases of COVID-19 virus in the Netherlands.