Legia Warszawa 0 - 3 Ajax Amsterdam - Milik on the mark for Ajax

Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by PA

Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik was the match-winner as Ajax swept aside Legia Warsaw for a place in the last 16 of the Europa League, scoring twice against the club he once joined as a teenage triallist.

Milik scored the only goal against his compatriots in last week's first leg in Amsterdam and was once again a thorn in their side as he bagged a first-half brace in a 3-0 win for visiting Ajax.

Four years ago the 16-year-old Milik was offered a contract by Legia but instead opted for regular football at a lower level, eventually ending up at Bayer Leverkusen - who have loaned to the Eredivisie heavyweights this season.

The striker opened the scoring after 11 minutes and completed it just before half-time, with Nick Viergever also on the scoresheet in between.

Legia had started the evening positively, Tomasz Jodlowiec drawing an early save from Jasper Cillessen and Michal Zyro failing to make the most of his own shooting opportunity.

But it was the visitors who took control of proceedings when Cillessen's goal kick found Milik.

He battled well for the ball on halfway and, having shaken off his marker, raced towards the edge of the area before buring a low shot in the corner.

If that turned the tie decisively in the Dutch side's favour, a second of the night two minutes later all but settled it.

A Ricardo Kishna free-kick led to confusion in the Legia penalty box and when goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak got an unwitting touch, Viergever was on hand to turn the loose ball over the line.

Legia briefly rallied but as the half progressed looked likelier to concede again than reduce the deficit.

And so they did in the 42nd minute, Kishna threading a pass for Milik, who took the ball forward before slotting his shot underneath the committed Kuciak.

Legia waited until the hour mark to make their first two changes, and followed with a third in the 71st minute but the best chance they had came when Jodlowiec's won a corner and drew a scrambling save from Cillesen.