Bayern top group after six-goal thriller at Ajax
AMSTERDAM: Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich pipped Ajax to top spot in Champions League Group E on Wednesday after a dramatic 3-3 draw which saw both sides finish with 10 men.
The point was enough to put Bayern into the last 16 as group winners on a bad-tempered night in Amsterdam with five goals, two penalties and two red cards in an action-packed second half.
“That was an advert for football,” beamed Bayern head coach Niko Kovac.
“We had the clearer chances and could have finished the game much sooner, but we didn’t use the spaces.
“However, the most important thing was to finish top of the group and with 14 from 18 points we are happy.”
Kingsley Coman came off the bench to put Bayern 32 up on 90 m in ut es before Nicolas Tagliafico equalised for Ajax in the fifth minute of added time.
After Lewandowski gave Bayern a firsthalf lead, Ajax turned the game around after the break as Dusan Tadic tapped home, then converted a penalty with eight minutes left.
However, Bayern roared back with Lewandowski scoring a spot-kick three minutes from time before Coman put the Germans back in front and Tagliafico could only rescue a point when victory would have seen the Dutch outfit usurp their opponents at the top of the table.
Lewandowski’s brace leaves him as the Champions League’s top-scorer with eight goals in the group stage.
Ajax’s Maximilian Woeber and Bayern forward Thomas Mueller were shown straight red cards for dangerous challenges.