FOUR-TIME European champion Ajax is on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League group stage after beating Dynamo Kiev 3-1 in the first leg of their playoff Wednesday. Dynamo goalkeeper Denys Boyko handed Ajax an early lead when he fumbled Donny van der Beek’s shot, but Tomasz Kedziora soon made it 1-1 from a corner. Ajax added goals from Hakim Ziyech and Dusan Tadic before halftime. Elsewhere, AEK Athens beat Hungarian team Vidi 2-1 away in their first-leg game to strengthen its chances of ending a 12-year absence from the Champions League group stage. Vidi played most of the game with 10 men after Szabolcs Huszti’s reckless challenge in the 23rd minute earned him a red card. The teams were even again in the 53rd when Tasos Bakasetas was sent off for a poor tackle shortly after scoring AEK’s second goal. Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb salvaged a 1-1 draw away to Young Boys Bern after Kevin Mbabu gave the Swiss team an early lead.(SD-Agencies) |