GROUP G: Ajax 1 AC Milan 1:AJAX AMSTERDAM old boys Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Clarence Seedorf combined to help AC Milan salvage a 1-1 draw at their former side in a frenetic Champions League encounter last night.
Forward Mounir El Hamdaoui put the hosts ahead on 23 minutes when Uruguay World Cup striker Luis Suarez showed great skill to ghost past Alessandro Nesta and square the ball for his team-mate to thump home.
Milan levelled on 37 minutes when Seedorf found Ibrahimovic and the tall Swede controlled superbly before smashing an awkwardly bouncing ball into the net from close range despite Ajax appeals for offside.
Former Inter striker Ibrahimovic, who signed for AC Milan from Barcelona on an initial loan in August, has now scored five goals for his new side including his brace in the 2-0 win at home to Auxerre in their group opener.
His goal on his return to Amsterdam after six years was all the more impressive given he picked up a knock early in the proceedings but decided to run it off despite the problem clearly troubling him for some time.
Both sides could easily have gone into the half-time break ahead with Suarez a constant menace for Ajax. He first shot over before hitting the post when offside and then produced more magic to set up El Hamdaoui, who failed to convert the chance.
Milan, went close when Robinho beat the offside trap but dragged his shot wide of the post with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The second half was largely forgettable until Kevin-Prince Boateng’s late close-range effort for Milan was superbly saved by goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
AJAX:Stekelenburg, Van Der Wiel, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Anita (Sulejmani 39), Enoh, De Jong, De Zeeuw (Lindgren 79), Suarez, El Hamdaoui, Emanuelson. Subs not used: Verhoeven, Eriksen, Ooijer, Oleguer, Jozefzoon. Booked: Enoh.
AC MILAN:Abbiati, Zambrotta, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Flamini (Boateng 51), Robinho (Inzaghi 85), Seedorf (Abate 85), Ibrahimovic. Subs not used: Amelia, Jankulovski, Bonera, Ronaldinho. Booked: Robinho, Flamini, Zambrotta, Gattuso, Antonini.
Referee:F Brych (Germany).
El Hamdaoui 23
Ibrahimovic 37
Att:50,000
