When Benfica Quietly Silences Ajax and Galatasaray Crumbles at Home in a UEFA Champions League Night

Match day highlights

Benfica secured a 2-0 victory away to Ajax in a UEFA Champions League group-stage fixture on Tuesday, while Galatasaray’s woes continued with a home defeat to Saint-Gilloise. The night summed up a tough evening for both Dutch and Turkish sides, as Benfica’s fresh momentum clashed with Ajax’s ongoing struggles and Galatasaray’s stubborn misfortune.

Ajax, already coming off a stretch of winless results across all competitions and following the 0-3 home loss to Galatasaray that sparked the departure of coach John Heitinga, saw interim boss Fred Grim take charge without turning the tide. The Dutch giants remained at the bottom of the group, while Benfica, after four straight losses, claimed their first win in the campaign to spark a notable turn of mood around them.

Benfica’s victory was powered by two decisive strikes. The opener came from a headed finish after a feed from a teammate, and the second arrived in stoppage time following a neat exchange with a Norwegian teammate, sealing the win late on and underscoring Benfica’s clinical edge on the night.

Away win, away trouble for Ajax

Ajax’s night was compounded by their broader form concerns, with the team unable to translate potential into results as managerial changes loomed and the group stage tests continued to pile up, leaving fans hoping for a quick reboot under their interim coach.

Galatasaray’s night echoes Ajax’s woes

Back in Istanbul, Galatasaray were undone at home by Saint-Gilloise, with a 57th-minute goal from a Canadian forward proving decisive. The Turkish side finished the match with ten men after Arda Oynay received a second booking, and their tally stood at nine points as Saint-Gilloise moved to six, tightening the group’s scramble for progression.

The night’s results preserved the sense that there is no easy path in this section of Europe’s premier club competition, with Benfica’s win injecting momentum while Ajax and Galatasaray watch from the shadows as the knockout stages loom closer.

And for those who enjoy a little humor after a tense football evening: punchline 1 — if patience is a currency, Benfica just cashed in with interest; punchline 2 — Ajax must have thought they were playing hide-and-seek with a win, but Benfica found it hiding in the back of the net.