Panathinaikos 1 - 2 Ajax Amsterdam: Ajax earn bad-tempered win over Panathinaikos

Posted Friday, September 16, 2016 by PA

Jairo Riedewald scored the winner as Ajax came from behind to record a 2-1 Europa League victory at Panathinaikos as English referee Andre Marriner showed three red cards.

Sweden international Marcus Berg tapped in from close range to put the Greek side ahead in the fifth minute after Robin Lod fired goalwards following a poor punch from Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The visitors came back into the tie and levelled 11 minutes before the break with the help of another goalkeeping mistake. Bertrand Traore collected the ball on the left corner of the opposition's 18-yard box and produced a powerful left-footed drive which beat keeper Luke Steele at the near post to give the striker his first Ajax goal since moving on loan from Chelsea.

Davinson Sanchez should have put the Eredivisie runners-up ahead two minutes later but he somehow diverted the ball straight at former Barnsley man Steele after being picked out by Amin Younes' centre.

The second period began in scrappy fashion with a series of yellow cards produced by referee Marriner before Ajax were given the opportunity to take the lead when Italian Giandomenico Mesto tugged back Mitchell Dijks inside the penalty area.

Captain Davy Klaassen saw his spot-kick repelled by the legs of Steele but Riedewald was on hand to finish the rebound with 67 minutes played.

The hosts were then reduced to 10 men when defender Ivan Ivanov was shown his second yellow card within the space of 11 minutes after he was adjudged to have brought down Younes on the edge of the box.

Referee Marriner dismissed Ajax's Morocco international Hakim Ziyech for a second bookable offence with 11 minutes remaining to even up the numbers but the home side were unable to salvage anything from the Group G tie and were reduced to nine men in injury time after Mubarak Wakaso's second booking.