EUROPEAN Cup holders Ajax booked a semi final against Panathinaikos of Greece with a 1-0 win over German League leaders Berussia Dortmund.
A Kiki Musampa goal 16 minutes from time was enough to see off a determined yet unambitious performance from Dortmund, who had been soundly beaten 2-0 in the first leg in Germany two weeks
The win extended the Dutch champions' record unbeaten run in Europe's premier competition to 19 games.
Ajax, with over half a side missing through injury and suspension, looked uncharacteristically devoid of sparkle in midfield and blunted in attack.
The single goal came when the Nigerian Musampa and the 18 year old forward, a product of the famed Ajax youth programme, slotted home past Stefan Klos.
Nicolas Ouedec scored two opportunist goals to give Nantes a 2-2 draw with Spartak Moscow in .Russia and see the French club through to the semi finals with a 4-2 aggregate win.
Ouedec struck in the 63rd and 85th minutes to wipe out two outstanding first half goals by Spartak captain Yuri Nikiforov which had brought the Russians back into contention after they lost the first leg 2-0.
The French international striker, wearing gloves because of the cold, scored his first goal by running on to a long pass which evaded two Spartak defenders and slipping the ball calmly past goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmatullin.
Although Spartak dominated the possession, Ouedec finished them off with a left footed drive from close range which also gave Nigmatullin no chance.
In Turin, striker Michele Padovano sent Juventus through to a semi final meeting with Nantes with a second half goal that gave the Italians a 2-0 win for a 2-1 aggregate success over Real Madrid.
The Spanish champions had outclassed the Italians in the first leg despite a slender 1-0 score line. But Juventus came good in their packed Delle Alpi stadium with a goal in each half to reach the last four for the sixth time in their history.
Italian international Alessandro Del Piero opened the scoring in the 16th minute from a free kick on the edge of the area and Padovano. replacing suspended striker Fabrizio Ravanelli, provided the clincher in the 55th minute.
It was the third time the former champions had clashed in the European Cup and the first that the Italians had won after losing 3-1 in a penalty shoot out in 1987 and in a play off in the 1962 quarter finals.
The result salvaged Italys' pride after both Milan and Roma were dumped out of the UEFA Cup yesterday and was the eighth successive European success for Italian clubs over Spanish rivals.
Legia Warsaw's Marcin Jalocha was sent off after only half an hour of the Polish side's 3-0 to Panathinaikos.
Krzysztof Warzycha scored twice and Juan Jose Borrelli sealed victory as the Greekchampioris beat the top dogs from his native Poland 3-0 in Athens and by the same score on aggregate.
Bayern Munich players picked up a bonus of 35,000 marks each for reaching the UEFA Cup semi finals with their demolition of Nottingham Forest. The sum was agreed by chairman Franz Beckenbauer who said yesterday. "If the team play a good game, they should earn a good salary. We are generous in that respect." Bayern hammered Forest 5-1 in Tuesday's second leg at the City Ground to win 7-2 on aggregate.
