Africa’s hottest number 9 Sebastien Haller kept up his remarkable scoring record in this season’s Champions League, finding the target at the right end shortly after putting through his own net as Ajax drew 2-2 with Benfica in their last 16, first leg on Wednesday.
Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus was an unused substitute for the same match.
Haller’s 26th-minute own goal cancelled out Dusan Tadic’s opener for the Dutch champions in the 18th minute at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, but the Ivory Coast striker then put Ajax back in front just three minutes later (29th minute, 2-1 for Ajax).
It was not enough for Erik ten Hag’s side to win the game, as Ukraine international Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench in the second half to earn Benfica a deserved draw.
The Ivorian international has now scored 11 goals in this season’s Champions League after ending the group stage in double figures.
Having never played in the competition before this season, he is the first player to score in each of his first seven Champions League appearances.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Ruud van Nistelrooy have scored in more consecutive Champions League matches, with Ronaldo doing so in 11 straight games between 2017 and 2018.
The former West Ham United man is also just the second Ajax player to score 11 goals in Europe in the same season, after Ruud Geels in 1975-76.
It was Haller’s 29th goal in 29 games in all competitions this season for his club.
Supersport.com
