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Haller became only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo in
2017-18 to score in each game of the six-match group phase as he
tucked away an eighth-minute penalty to take his tally in this
year’s competition to 10.
Sporting equalised through Nuno Santos in the 22nd minute but
Brazilian Antony restored the Dutch side’s lead just before
halftime after a horror defensive error by the visitors.
David Neres extended Ajax’s advantage after 58 minutes and four
minutes later Steven Berghuis added the fourth, but Sporting got
a 78th minute consolation with Bruno Tabata’s thunderous
side-footed shot off the underside of the crossbar.
Ajax topped Group C with a maximum 18 points while the
Portuguese champions, who had already been confirmed runners-up,
finished with nine, using the last group match to give several
young players a first run-out in European competition.
The match was played behind closed doors because of Dutch
government restrictions imposed following a surge in COVID-19
cases in the Netherlands.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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