dnipro hang on to oust ajax published: thursday 19 march 2015, 23.36cet afc ajax 2-1 fc dnipro dnipropetrovsk (agg: 2-2, dnipro win on away goals) yevhen konoplyanka's extra-time strike capped a backs-to-the wall performance.
• riechedly bazoer strikes on the hour as ajax cancel out first-leg deficit • lovely finish from yevhen konoplyanka turns tie in dnipro's favour in extra time • mike van der hoorn's header gives ajax hope at the end but dnipro hang on • ukrainian side successful despite being without five key players – and their coach • quarter-final draw in nyon on 20 march at 13.00cet
fc dnipro dnipropetrovsk joined compatriots fc dynamo kyiv in the uefa europa league quarter-finals, keeping cool heads to get the better of afc ajax after extra time in amsterdam.
the dutch champions had struggled to lay a glove on their visitors, who went into this round of 16 second leg 1-0 to the good, and were unable to press their advantage after riechedly bazoer made it 1-1 on aggregate. yevhen konoplyanka silenced the amsterdam arena crowd with a stylish finish seven minutes into overtime, and while mike van der hoorn restored ajax's lead on the night, away goals saw them off.
with five first-choice players absent through injury or suspension, and coach myron markevych laid up with a virus, dnipro rode their luck to begin with, goalkeeper denys boyko making a fine save to fend away anwar el ghazi's drive after seven minutes. under olexandr ıvanov, they then set about stifling their hosts.
arkadiusz milik went close with a header for frank de boer's side just before the interval, yet the coach cut a frustrated figure until ajax got a fortunate break on 60 minutes. egídio failed to cut out a ball from the left, inviting bazoer to bear down on goal and beat boyko with a firm hit.
dnipro reshuffled and might have equalised on 71 minutes, roman bezus unsighted as a free-kick dropped onto his head and crept wide of jasper cillessen's right-hand post. extra time then provided the stage for skipper konoplyanka to make his star turn, cutting in from the left and skirting the edge of the box before curling a low shot inside cillessen's left-hand post.
van der hoorn bravely nodded into the unguarded net after a rebound from kolbeinn sigthórsson's header dropped invitingly in the dying minutes, but ajax could not finish dnipro off.
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