Defending champions, Real Madrid, have one foot in the quarter-finals of the European Champions League after they scored late to secure a 2-1 victory away to Dutch giants, Ajax Amsterdam.
Tottenham Hotspur secured an emphatic 3-0 win at home in their first leg of the round of sixteen tie with Germany’s Borussia Dortmund.
Real Madrid opened the scoring in the second half after Ajax’s goal in the first half was ruled offside. Brazilian, Vinicius Junior, did all the hard work beating three Ajax players before putting Karim Benzema in possession. The French forward coolly slotted home to put the champions in the lead.
It was Benzema’s 60th UEFA Champions League goal placing him fourth on the top scoring charts of the competition. The home side wasn’t prepared to go down without a fight with David Neres’ pass finding Hakim Ziyech in the box.
The 25-year old Moroccan beat keeper, Thibaut Courtois, to level the matters.
? ¡@Benzema ya ha jugado 450 partidos con el @RealMadrid!
⚽ 211 goles
? 17 títulos#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/x9CIsVa7sH— Real Madrid C.F.⚽ (@realmadrid) February 14, 2019
But Real struck back. Brazilian, Casemiro, started a move releasing Daniel Carvajal on the right flank with a pin-point pass. Carvajal’s pass located Marco Asensio in the box. The 23-year old ensured the holders will take a 2-1 advantage to the second leg at the Santiago Bernabau in March
Tottenham Hotspur produced arguably their most impressive performance in the Champions League. Spurs beat a tough Borussia Dortmund three-0 at the Wembley stadium.
Defender, Jan Vertonghen, floated in a cross in the box to prolific South Korean goal scorer, Heung-min Son, who volleyed home.
Vertonghen doubled Tottenham’s lead in the 83rd minute when he got to the end of a Serge Aurier’s cross. Substitute Fernando Llorente scored a third goal to complete Spurs’ first Champions League knock-out victory at home.
Tottenham travel to Dortmund for the return leg on 5 March.
