Ajax vs Rangers LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction as Ajax notch comfortable win
Ajax 4-0 Rangers: Gers lose heavily in their first Champions League match in 12 years
Ajax built a commanding early lead before overwhelming Rangers 4-0 in Champions League Group A at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus scored in a one-sided first half and Steven Bergwijn added the fourth 10 minutes from time to complete the rout.
It was a dominant display from a new-look Ajax, who sold several key players over the summer, and lost head coach Erik ten Hag to Manchester United, but still proved far too strong for the Scottish side - last season’s Europa League runners-up.
Borna Barisic did have a goal disallowed for the Gers after an offside in the build-up but they were largely outclassed.
Relive all the action as Ajax beat Rangers in the Champions League:
Ajax 1-0 Rangers
20 mins: Rangers have work to do now. They need to get back to the early pressure they were putting on the ball. It’s tricky though as Ajax are confidently and slickly passing it around the pitch.
Kudus weaves his way to the front of the box before slipping the ball ot Tadic. He waits for Devyne Rensch’s run in behind and gives him the ball. The Ajax defender drills a shot at goal but McLaughlin turns it wide at the near post!
GOAL! Ajax 1-0 Rangers (17’, Alvarez)⚽️
17 mins: Ajax take the lead! The home side were starting to take control of the game and now they’ve taken the lead.
Ajax win a corner that gets delivered beautifully into the middle of the box. Edson Alvarez makes a short but decisive diagonal run into the box from the left side and leaps towards the ball.
He meets it perfectly and guides the header into the bottom left corner. No chance for Jon McLaughlin to stop it.
Ajax 0-0 Rangers
15 mins: Tadic dribbles into the box from the right side and goes around Borna Barisic on his way into the penalty area. He manages to pull the ball back to the edge of the box where Edson Alvarez is free.
Alvarez thinks about shooting but Rangers close him down quickly and work the ball clear. Ajax are starting to take control of this match.
Ajax 0-0 Rangers
12 mins: Shot! Steven Bergwijn is causing a few problems on the left hand side. He receives a pass and drives down the wing before cutting inside.
The Rangers defenders drop off him opening up half a yard of space that Bergwijn comes in to before hooking a shot wide of the near post.
Ajax 0-0 Rangers
9 mins: Close! Ajax win a corner that Steven Bergwijn rolls short to Dusan Tadic. Tadic swings a first time cross into the box and perfectly finds Jurrien Timber whose headed effort flies over the crossbar.
Ajax 0-0 Rangers
6 mins: A long ball up the pitch from Jon McLaughlin is targetted at Connor Goldson but the Rangers’ man is taken out by the stray arm of Mohammed Kudus and the visitors win a free kick.
This has been a decent start from Rangers. They don’t look overawed by the occasion or the opponents and are getting stuck into the game.
Ajax 0-0 Rangers
3 mins: Connor Goldson fires the ball over to Ryan Kent who nods it up the pitch to Malik Tillman who’s made his way into the box. He holds the ball up well enough but cant create sace for a shot and Rangers are forced to retreat as Ajax’s defenders sworn the forward.
Kick off: Ajax 0-0 Rangers
Rangers kick off their first Champions League match in 12 years. This is a huge night for the Scottish side and if they can get a result against Ajax it will put them in a strong position to attack the rest of the group.
Schreuder on Rangers
Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder spoke about Rangers saying: "It is a new challenge for us. We have been analysing their games - they press high and try to play. You can see the hand of their coach on how they play.
"They are a very competitive team, they will try and press us in the beginning. We know Gio very well. You look at his style of coaching and I don’t think we have many big surprises coming. We are very well prepared."
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