Ajax clash isn’t Daley occurrence

ROUND-UP

DALEY BLIND last night made his second Ajax debut off the bench as the Dutch did away with Sturm Graz 2-0.

Hakim Ziyech turned the second qualifying round tie in their favour when his cute dummy 14 minutes in opened up space for a low strike.

And the 25-year-old had more than a helping hand from Graz goalie Jorg Siebenhandl who allowed the ball to squirm through his grasp.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck the woodwork while David Neres’s finish was chalked off for offside as Ajax were forced to settle for a 1-0 half-time lead.

Fabian Koch somehow dragged an almost certain Graz leveller wide 10 minutes after the restart.

The Austrians paid for it 60 seconds later as Lasse Schone stepped up to the penalty spot Anastasios Avlonitis brought down Neres.

Siebenhandl denied Schone’s meek effort low to his left but the ball squirmed back out for the 32-year-old to tuck home at the second attempt.

Huntelaar headed what seemed an odds-on third over before summer arrival from Southampton, Dusan Tadic, was given a runout.

And Blind, back at the Johan Cruyff Arena after last week’s Manchester United exit, joined him to rapturous cheers for the final six minutes.

He said: “It was a real goose bump moment – it feels really good to get that appreciation.”

The night’s other three first legs all finished goalless.

BATE Borisov were held by visitors HJK Helsinki and Videoton did likewise at Ludogorets. It was also 0-0 in Albania where Qarabag held hosts Kukesi.

LAST NIGHT’S RESULTS