(Football news) Ajax drew 2-2 with Benfica after Sebastian Haller became the third player to score in 7 straight games after Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Ruud van Nistlrooy who have scored in more consecutive Champions League matches, Ronaldo holds the record to have scored in 11 straight games from 2017 to 2018. Roman Yaremchuk headed home from close range to secure a very hard fought draw for Benfica leaving the tie finely poised for the second leg in Amsterdam.

Yaremchuk rescued the match for the Portuguese team as he reacted quickest after Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer saved a fierce shot from Gonçalo Ramos and the Ukraine international pounced on his mistake to slot the ball in the net, he subsequently received a yellow card for taking his shirt off during his goal celebrations. Yaremchuk was wearing the Ukrainian coat of arms under his Benfica kit and his support in the ongoing dispute. Sebastien Haller on the other hand created Champions league history by scoring in every Champions League game he has played this season but in the first half he put the ball in his own goal and then made up for his mistake and found the net at the right end in a five-minute spell.

Dusan Tadic had scored the opening goal of the game when he fired a fierce volley to put Ajax in front in the first 20 minutes, after playing a brilliant one-two with Noussair Mazraoui, the Serbia international struck a crisp shot into the goal from 12 yards out. Benfica then came out strong after conceding early as they equalised on 25 minutes when Vertonghen’s misjudged shot deflected of Haller who completely misjudged his clearance and put the ball in his own net, but the Ivorian striker put made up for his previous mistake moments later when he easily beat Jan Vertonghen and had drawn a very good save from Odisseas Vlachodimos but he could only parry the ball back to the 27-year-old who just tapped in the rebound from eight yards for his 11 goal in the Champions League. Ajax had a penalty appeal turned down which in turn led to Benfica counter-attack, leading to Yaremchuk's goal.

"We are a bit frustrated. We could and should have done better and we are a bit disappointed to leave here having drawn 2-2," Haller after the match. 

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