Ajax enjoyed a successful dress rehearsal four days before the Champions League duel with FC Bayern. Erik ten Hag's men beat PEC Zwolle 4-1 on Saturday evening, staying hot on PSV's heels in the domestic league. Ajax now have 40 points, two short of Eredivisie leaders PSV, who beat SBV Excelsior 6-0 on Friday.
Former Bundesliga pro Klaas-Jan Huntelaar put Ajax in front, Frenkie de Jong doubling the lead after the half-hour mark, but Zwolle pulled one back when Lasse Schöne put through his own goal before half-time. Schöne atoned for his own goal with twenty minutes to go, restoring the two-goal lead before Dusan Tadic settled the final scoreline in the closing stages.
Löw continues to count on Neuer
Germany head coach Joachim Löw counts on the Bayern captain for the next big tournament: "If nothing extraordinary happens Neuer will be the number one until the EURO," declared the 58-year-old. Neuer has been "the very best goalkeeper for many years. He's our captain, he's important for the team," added Löw. Germany start their qualifying campaign for the EURO 2020 in March 2019.
Milestone for Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski scored two goals against FC Nürnberg, bagging his 42nd Bundesliga brace on Saturday. The striker surpassed his former coach Jupp Heynckes on 41. Only Der Bomber Gerd Müller boasts more braces, 55. It was the 50th time Lewandowski scored two or more goals. The Poland captain has seven three-goal hauls and one five-goal haul to his name. Only Müller on 87 and Heynckes on 51 boast more.
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