Graz (Austria), Aug 13: A late equalizing goal gave Ajax relief, while Dynamo Kiev and newcomers Celta De Vigo hardly had to sweat with three-goal thumpings in champions league qualifying.
Wesley Sneijder curled a free kick over Grazer AK goalkeeper Andreas Schranz 12 minutes from time to give Ajax an invaluable away goal when it hosts the Austrian team in two weeks in the return leg of third-round qualifying.
In Vigo, Celta crushed Slavia Prague 3-0, and in Kiev, Dynamo downed Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 yesterday. Both winners seem assured of advancing to the lucrative group phase.
Ajax coach Ronald Koeman was worried enough after Grazer's Emanuel Pogatetz headed in a free kick cross from Matthias Dollinger in the 56th minute, to introduce star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whom he'd benched to rest a slight groin injury.

"My team was shocked after being down a goal, but we took over control soon after and equalized deservedly," Koeman said.



Until Sneijder's strike, Ajax had struggled to find the net, with captain Rafael Van Der Vaart, Brazilian Wamberto and striker Wesley Sonck all missing chances.



Celta made a stunning champions league debut, with Alexander Mostovoi, Jesuli Mora and Edu Schmidt all netting against Slavia to make the return leg in Prague on Aug. 27 appear a formality.


Bureau Report