Benfica 1-1 Ajax: Failure to win sees Benfica on the brink of Champions League exit

Benfica are on the verge of exiting the Champions League at the group stage for the second season running after failing to beat Ajax in Lisbon.

Benfica took the lead in the first half after a long throw found its way to Jonas, who made no mistake in smashing the ball home.

A win would have seen Benfica move to within 1 point of Ajax in the Champions League group, still with a realistic chance of making the round of sixteen, as well as being guaranteed a place in at least the next stage of the Europa League.

However, after Dusan Tadic managed to squeeze the ball into the back of the net after an over the top ball split the Benfica defence, Benfica were once again left having to chase the game, needing to win far more urgently than their Dutch counterparts.

The necessary response never came though, and Benfica had to settle for just a solitary point, keeping them locked in third place in the group, four points behind Ajax and six behind Bayern Munich.

Benfica are still able to catch Ajax - and even Bayern who top the group - but are now depending on results elsewhere to continue their Champions League journey.

Benfica next face a trip to Germany, where they will face Bundesliga champions Bayern on 27th November. They then round off their group campaign by welcoming Greek champions AEK Athens to Portugal, a meeting that could determine who clinches passage into the Europa League.