Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HALLER’S UP WITH LEW AS TOP HITMAN
HE wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea at West Ham – but super sub Sebastien Haller last night served up more champagne stuff for Ajax.
The 27-year-old French striker scored both goals as the Dutch club came from behind to win 2-1 against Besiktas in Turkey.
Haller (above) now has nine goals in five games in the group phase – tied with Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich at the top of this season’s Champions League scoring charts.
Ajax trailed at half-time to a 22nd-minute penalty from Rachid Ghezzal.
But any chance of a shock upset was snuffed out as Haller arrived for the second half and scored after 54 and 69 minutes.
Group C winners Ajax made it the maximum 15 points from five victories.
Edin Dzeko was another two-goal former Premier League marksman celebrating after stealing the show in Italy.
The ex-manchester City striker, 35, gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Group D.
Evergreen Dzeko swept home after 61 minutes to give Inter a deserved lead,
And he needed just six minutes to double his tally, heading in an inviting Ivan Perisic cross (above) for his 50th goal in European club competitions.
Sheriff Tiraspol’s failure to beat Real Madrid guaranteed Inter a place in the last 16 for the first time since 2011-12.
Real won 3-0 away to the Moldovan club with a goal from David Alaba after 30 minutes for starters. Toni Kroos scored on the stroke of half-time and Karim Benzema pounced after 55 minutes.
Group A witnessed a big surprise as RB Leipzig travelled to Belgium to thump Bruges 5-0 with two-goal Emil Forsberg and Christopher Nkunku, who also scored a double, the chief destroyers.