Inter take over in driver's seat

Uefa Champions League Group of 16: Ajax  2 - Inter Milan 2 Inter Milan staged a fierce fightback to draw with Ajax Amsterdam…

Uefa Champions League Group of 16: Ajax  2 - Inter Milan 2Inter Milan staged a fierce fightback to draw with Ajax Amsterdam in the Amsterdam Arena last night.

Ajax, without their entire first choice midfield because of injury, made a dream start with two goals in the opening 20 minutes, but Inter hit back through Dejan Stankovic and Julio Cruz.

Inter were dazed early on as Ajax produced some lively attacking football, and goalkeeper Francesco Toldo had no chance on 16 minutes with the opener from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Mauro Rosales controlled a ball on his chest and then floated in an inviting cross which Huntelaar met with a thumping header.

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Inter were still recovering from that when they fell further behind. Urby Emanuelson crossed low for Rosales who scuffed a shot past Toldo.

Ajax made a bad start to the second half and they paid for a lack of concentration in defence when Stankovic combined well with Esteban Cambiasso before firing a deflected shot past Maarten Stekelenburg.

With four minutes remaining Cambiasso squared a pass to Cruz inside the area and he slotted into the net.

AJAX: Stekelenburg, Trabelsi, Heitinga, Vermaelen, Emanuelson, Maduro, Lindenbergh, Boukhari, Rosales (Babel 89), Rosenberg, Huntelaar. Subs not used: Vonk, Charisteas, Juanfran, Boakye, Sarpong, Timisela. Booked: Rosenberg.

INTER MILAN: Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Cordoba, Samuel, Burdisso, Figo, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Cesar (Pizarro 45), Cruz, Adriano (Martins 65). Subs not used: Julio Cesar, Gonzalez, Solari, Materazzi, Wome. Booked: Cordoba, Pizarro, Cruz.

Referee: W Stark (Germany).