THE HAGUE (AFP) - Liverpool have booked a placed in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-0 win over Ajax in Amsterdam.
After a 2-1 loss at Anfield in September, Ajax needed to win by two goals to have a chance of entering the knockout stages.
Ajax started well against Liverpool, which had suffered a blow in the Premier League last Saturday with a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest. The home team had an early chance through Steven Berghuis, who hit the post from close range.
After another attempt by Berghuis, whose shot went wide, Ajax had their second major chance through Dusan Tadic, who met Brian Brobbey’s cross alone at the far post, but his shot was blocked by Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Then Liverpool awoke in the Johan Cruyff Arena. Andrew Robertson found Mohamed Salah with a beautiful left-footed pass and the Egyptian curled the ball past Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer. The goal was a severe blow for Ajax who were not able to recover after halftime.
Darwin Nunez headed in the second Liverpool goal in the 49th minute, and Harvey Elliott hit home the third goal three minutes later after a through-pass by Salah.
It meant Ajax conceded at least three goals in three consecutive Champions League matches for the first time in the club’s history, after the 6-1 home and 4-2 away losses to Napoli.