Ajax showing inspires Emanuelson

Urby Emanuelson is hoping AFC Ajax can maintain the level of performance they showed in defeating nine-man NK Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 to move within reach of a place in the UEFA Europa League knockout stage.

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A first European goal of the season from Marko Pantelić and a Demy de Zeeuw strike sandwiched Leandro Cufré's 35th-minute dismissal in Croatia, before Adrian Calello was shown a second yellow card in the closing stages. The victory moves Ajax on to eight points in Group A, the same total as RSC Anderlecht, with those sides a healthy six clear of FC Timişoara with two matches remaining.

'Deserved' triumph
"It was very good performance," said Emanuelson. "I am very pleased with how we controlled the match. I hope we continue playing like this." Pantelić was similarly as forthcoming with his praise. "I'm very happy I scored the first goal," he said. "True, the red cards helped us a lot but we played much better and the victory was deserved. We are happy with eight points, it was good win for us."

'Complete performance'
Emanuelson will be no doubt delighted to hear the assessment of Dinamo's former Croatian international Robert Kovač, who admitted the best team won on the night regardless of the red cards. "Congratulations to Ajax, they deserved to win," he said. "It was the most complete performance by an away team here."

Pacesetters
With Dinamo bottom of the group and on the verge of elimination pending an appeal against their three-point deduction, Dejan Lovren – who partnered Kovač in the centre of defence – is turning his attention towards retaining the Prva Liga title. "I am disappointed because we didn't play well," said the 20-year-old. "Now we must concentrate on the Croatian league."