United travel first class as Ajax in Champions League

After last week’s 1-0 win on the CSKA Moscow artificial turf pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium, Manchester United went on to equal Ajax Amsterdam’s away record (1994-1997) of 14 matches without defeat in Champions League era.

United manager Alex Ferguson hailed the feat and said it showed great maturity from his side to win matches of that type.

“There is a way of playing away from home in Europe and I think you saw that (against CSKA),” he said.

“We showed patience and kept good possession and I think that was the key factor.”

Thanks to that victory in Russia, United now have nine points from three matches and are in pole position for a place in the knock-out phase of the competition.

Since that match, CSKA Moscow sacked coach Juande Ramos, the former manager at Tottenham Hotspur.

Man. United’s 14

2009-10 group phase: CSKA Moscow (Russia) 1-0 – Valencia; Besiktas (Turkey) 1-0 − Scholes.

2008-09 semi-final: Arsenal 3-1 − Park, Ronaldo 2.

Quarter-final: FC Porto (Portugal) 1-0 – Ronaldo.

Second round: Inter (Italy) 0-0.

Group phase: Villarreal (Spain) 0-0; Celtic 1-1 – Giggs; Aalborg (Denmark) 3-0 − Rooney, Berbatov 2.

2007-08 semi-final: Barcelona (Spain) 0-0.

Quarter-final: Roma (Italy) 2-0 − Ronaldo, Rooney.

Second round: Lyon (France) 1-1 − Tevez.

Group phase: Roma 1-1 – Pique; D. Kiev (Ukraine) 4-2 − Ferdinand, Rooney, Ronaldo 2 (1 pen); S. Lisbon (Portugal) 1-0 − Ronaldo.

Manchester United’s last away defeat came in season 2006-07 against Milan (0-3 in the semi-final, second leg).

Ajax’s 14

1996-97 quarter-final: A. Madrid (Spain) 3-2 − Ronald de Boer, Dani, Babangida.

Group phase: Grasshoppers Zurich (Switzerland) 1-0 – Kluivert; Rangers 1-0 – Sholten; Auxerre (France) 1-0 − Litmanen.

1995-96 semi-final: Panathinaikos (Greece) 3-0 − Litmanen 2, Wooter.

Quarter-final: B. Dortmund (Germany) 2-0 − Davids, Kluivert.

Group phase: Real Madrid (Spain) 2-0 Litmanen, Kluivert; Grasshoppers Zurich 0-0; Ferencvaros (Hungary) 5-1 − Litmanen 3 (1 pen), Kluivert, Frank de Boer.

1994-95 semi-final: B. Munich (Germany) 0-0.

Quarter-final: H. Split (Croatia) 0-0.

Group phase: Milan (in Trieste) 2-0 − Litmanen, Baresi og; SK Austria Salzburg (Austria) 0-0; AEK Athens (Greece) 2-1 − Litmanen, Kluivert.

Ajax’s last away defeat came in the semi-finals of 1996-97, going down to Juventus 1-4.

Other Stats

Between them, Ajax and Manchester United have won the European Cup/Champions League on seven occasions, four to the Dutch side.

Ajax and Manchester United, along with Liverpool and Milan, lifted the trophy unbeaten in the same tournament twice. While the Red Devils participated in 11 semi-finals, Ajax made it to the last four eight times.

In Europe, United and Ajax met only once – in 1976-77 UEFA Cup, first round.

In the first leg in Amsterdam, the Dutch side won 1-0 but at Old Trafford United scored twice, through Lou Macari and Sam McIlroy, to move into the next round.