THE 1995 European Cup winners Ajax qualified for a revenge semifinal with Juventus, who beat them on penalties in the 1996 final in Madrid last night with a 3-2 win over with Atletico Madrid - the match finished 4-3 on aggregate.
Nigerian winger Tijani Babangida scored their third, and his third of the campaign, in the last minute of extra time, making the Spanish champions pay in full for Argentinian striker Juan Esnaider missing a 75th minute penalty.
Atletico had a glimmer of a hope when 30 year old Yugoslavian midfielder Milinko Pantic had levelled the scores at 2-2 with a penalty in the 108th minute.
Ajax's former West Ham Portuguese forward Dani struck their second goal in the 100th minute, like Babangidas his third of the campaign.
Ronald de Boer, one of only six Ajax players remaining from the team that won the 1995 European Cup, had pulled Ajax level four minutes into the second half, heading home Jari Litmanen's cross past Atletico keeper Francisco Molina.
Atletico had taken a 29th minute lead through their 24 year old striker Kiko, who scored his second goal of the European Cup campaign with a 20 yard shot that took a deflection and left Ajax keeper Edwin van der Saar stranded.
Holders Juventus marched into the semi finals after grinding out a 2-0 victory over Rosenborg in Turin.
A freak goal by Frenchman Zinedine Zidane in the first half and a late penalty from Nicola Amoruso, after the Norwegians had a man sent off, earned the Italian club a 3-1 victory on aggregate.
Juventus only needed a 0-0 draw to go through but Zidane set them on their way when goalkeeper Jorn Jamtfall's clearance cannoned off the midfielder into the net.
Amoruso, who had missed a string of chances during the match, made no mistake from the spot in the 88th minute after Stale Stensaas was shown the red card for bringing down Juventus substitute Attilio Lombardo.
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi was still marvelling at Zidane's gal after the match, admitting: "I've never seen a goal like that at this level. It was a bit special."
"We had a very good first hall, but we let them play a bit too much in the second. It wasn't a night for really creative football but I'm happy with the result and the team performance. It's harder to keep the cup than win it for the first time.
Rosenborg coach Nils Arne Eggen said: "Congratulations to Juventus. They were the best team out there tonight - there was no doubt about that."
Substitute Alen Boksic added some bite to the Juventus attack, but it was far from a memorable performance from the tournament favourites.
Zidane claimed credit for the goal afterwards, saying: "I put my foot out. Otherwise it would have gone between my legs. I put my foot out and was lucky enough for the ball to hit it.
But he admitted: "I'd rather have scored from a free kick or another move, but it counts just the same.
Borussia Dortmund delivered a performance of chilling efficiency to beat Auxerre 1-0 in Auxerre and book their place in the semifinals 4-1 on aggregate.
Lars Ricken scored the German side's goal just past the hour to set up a semi final clash with Manchester United as Auxerre became the first French champions to fail to reach the semi finals of this competition for five years.
Dortmund's midfield general Andreas Moeller, who scored the clinching penalty against England in the Euro 96 semi final, set up Ricken 25 yards out and his low shot deflected off an Auxerre defender past Charbonnier to kill the tie.
Auxerre endured another night of frustration against an unforgiving German defence expertly directed by 1996 European Footballer of the Year Matthias Sammer. Sammer was booked in the second half, which rules him out of the semi final first leg.
