Traore plays Lyon tamer as Ajax forges ahead
AMSTERDAM — Bertrand Traore scored two goals and set up another as Ajax whipped Lyon 4-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal on Wednesday.
Burkina Faso forward Traore, on loan from Chelsea, was a doubtful starter with a groin injury but the 21-year-old showed no ill effects as the four-time European Cup winner made the most of its first European semifinal since 1997.
In between his tallies, Traore lined up 19-year-old Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg to score Ajax’s second in the 34th minute.
Amin Younes added the fourth in the 49th minute, but Mathieu Valbuena’s away goal for Lyon in the 66th will give his team at least a faint hope of advancing from next week’s second leg in France.
Playing in Amsterdam Arena for the first time since an announcement that the stadium will be renamed in honor of Ajax’s greatest player, Johan Cruyff, the Dutch team put in a performance that would have made the late legend proud.
It also showed this young Ajax team might be strong enough to win its first continental title since 1995.
Poor finishing and good goalkeeping combined to keep the score respectable for Lyon.
Even the small group of French fans applauded Ajax players as they performed a lap of honor after the final whistle.
After a scrappy opening in which Lyon gave Ajax little time or space on the ball, Traore put Ajax ahead in the 25th minute, leaping between a crowd of defenders to send a glancing header into the far corner from a freekick by Hakim Ziyech.
Ziyech was also the provider for Traore’s second in the 71st minute, snaking a smart pass into the box.
Traore created Ajax’s second goal nine minutes after his first, powerfully heading a poor clearance by Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes into the path of Dolberg, who calmly fired a low volley past the goalkeeper.
Ajax should have been further ahead at the break.
Left winger Younes popped up on the right just before half time and broke through the Lyon defense, but Lopes made amends for his earlier mistake by saving well.
The closest Lyon came in the first half was in the 10th minute when Lucas Tousart cut back for Maxwel Cornet. But his side-footer from close range was saved by Andre Onana, one of several good stops by the Ajax goalkeeper on a night of relentless attacking by both teams.
Lyon top scorer Alexandre Lacazette had recovered sufficiently from a right hamstring injury to start on the bench and coach Bruno Genesio risked bringing him on midway through the second half.
Younes, who is German but of Lebanese descent, made up for his earlier miss soon after the break, running onto Ziyech pass before seeing his chipped shot get deflected and barely cross the line.
Lyon grabbed a lifeline when Onana’s despairing dive was not enough to keep out Valbuena’s powerful shot.
But Traore restored Ajax’s three-goal cushion five minutes later when he ran onto a perfectly timed cross from Ziyech and jabbed home from close range.
Manchester United plays Celta Vigo in Spain on Thursday in the other semifinal, first leg.