Fenerbahce 1 - 0 Ajax Amsterdam: Fernandao gives Fenerbahce victory over Ajax
Posted Friday, October 23, 2015 by PA
Fernandao climbed off the bench to breathe life into Fenerbahce's Europa League campaign with a late winner against Ajax.
With one point from two Group A games, the Turkish side were in need of victory but some modest finishing and a fine goalkeeping effort from Jasper Cillessen looked set to frustrate them.
That changed in the 89th minute when the Brazilian striker saw headed a corner home via a hefty deflection for his fifth goal in the competition.
The start of the game was punctuated by a series of fouls but when it finally settled down it was the hosts who made the running.
On-loan Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic was frustrated to see three shots blocked in quick succession before Diego finally worked Cillessen.
Moments later Cillessen was on hand to deny Robin van Persie with a superb piece of goalkeeping.
Ajax looked lively too but it was the hosts who fashioned better openings, Simon Kjaer diverting Caner Erkin's free-kick wide from a good position.
Van Persie finished tamely again in the 32nd minute having found space, while Nemanja Gudelj powered one of Ajax's better chances clean into the stand.
Van Persie had scored in his last two matches for club and country but his radar was off again eight minutes into the second half, while Cillessen denied another former Manchester United man, Nani, soon after.
With the home fans willing them on, Fener came desperately close in the 67th minute.
Souza saw his goalbound header cleared off the line by Lasse Schone, with Diego's cleanly-struck follow-up also bravely blocked.
Fabiano needed to be alert to stop Ajax scoring against the grain at the other end, Davy Klaassen meeting Schone's tempting cross.
When Ozan Tufan erred in the 81st minute a stalemate seemed certain, but Van Persie replacement, Fernandao, managed to find the messy winner.
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