Chelsea mounted a stirring fightback from 4-1 down to earn a crucial Champions League point as Ajax ended with nine men on a night of high drama at Stamford Bridge.
Ajax, semi-finalists last season, were in calm control and looked on course for victory when Donny van de Beek gave them a three-goal advantage 10 minutes after the break – but in a chaotic closing period Chelsea completed a remarkable recovery as the visitors lost their discipline.
Tammy Abraham’s own goal gave Ajax an early lead and even though Chelsea were quickly on terms through Jorginho’s penalty, they were in trouble at half-time after Quincy Promes headed in a brilliant cross from Hakim Ziyech, who then saw his free-kick inadvertently deflected in by keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Van de Beek looked to have settled matters but Cesar Azpilicueta pulled one back for Chelsea, before Ajax lost Daley Blind and Joel Veltman within a minute to second yellow cards, with the dismissals followed by a penalty which Jorginho scored again to set up a frantic finale.
Reece James then pulled Chelsea level and Azpilicueta thought he had scored the winner, only for the video assistant referee to intervene and detect a handball by Abraham.
Both sides had chances in the closing moments but in the end settled for a draw which leaves them level on seven points, along with Valencia who beat Lille 4-1 in this extremely tight Group H.
Chelsea dig deep to earn reward
One look at the Group H table shows how important this point might be to Chelsea before a potentially decisive visit to Valencia next, on 27 November.
For the first 55 minutes, Chelsea looked naive and exposed at this level as they were cut apart by Ajax’s slick approach work and lethal delivery from out wide, which was instrumental in their first three goals.
What this emerging Chelsea side under Frank Lampard does not lack is heart and fighting spirit. It was all on display in those final 30 minutes as Ajax wobbled and they took advantage.
Once Azpilicueta’s close-range tap-in made it 4-2 and opened the door, Chelsea barged through it as Ajax found themselves pinned back and suffering a numerical disadvantage.
When James levelled it up at 4-4 with 16 minutes left, all the smart money would have been on Chelsea completing the turnaround with victory.
It almost came as Azpilicueta saw his goal overruled by VAR, with the refreshing sight of referee Gianluca Rocchi actually consulting a screen to decide for himself, and with two late chances for substitute Michy Batshuayi, one of which brought a superb save from Ajax keeper Andre Onana.
In the end, Chelsea had to settle for a share of the honours – something they would have readily accepted after 55 minutes but which they might have taken with slight disappointment at the end.
This was a thrilling spectacle in which both teams deserved some reward.
Ajax respect their old traditions
Erik ten Hag’s young Ajax side graced the Champions League last season with a series of virtuoso performances before losing the semi-final to Tottenham in the dying moments of the second leg in front of their own supporters.
The campaign delivered a clear signal that this great old club was back among the elite and, despite losing two outstanding young players in Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus and Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona, they have moved on impressively.
Ajax were determined to make amends for their 1-0 loss to Chelsea in Amsterdam and were hugely impressive as their pace, movement and lethal delivery established a stranglehold in their first hour.
Yes, it fell apart for a 20-minute period but the closing phases demonstrated this is a team built and coached in the great traditions of the club, shrugging off the fact they were down to nine men to actually push forward in search of a winner.
They almost got it when Arrizabalaga had to save from Edson Alvarez, but the point pleased their small group of supporters inside Stamford Bridge.
Ajax may have lost the lead and might feel a sense of injustice about losing two players, but they earn full marks for entertainment value and their purist approach to the game.
Chelsea are the third English side in Champions League history to come from three goals behind to avoid defeat and the first since Liverpool in the 2005 final against AC Milan, which the Reds won in a penalty shootout.
James makes Chelsea history – the stats
Chelsea have conceded 4+ goals in a single Champions League game for only the third time in their history and the first time since drawing 4-4 at home to Liverpool in April 2009.
Ajax have scored 4+ goals in a game against an English team in all European competition for only the second time (also 5-1 v Liverpool in December 1966 at home in the European Cup).
Reece James (19 years, 332 days) became Chelsea’s youngest goalscorer in Champions League history.
Chelsea conceded three goals in the first half of a Champions League game for the first time. In fact, the Blues were the second side to concede two own goals in the first half of a Champions League game after CFR Cluj (v Bayern Munich, October 2010).
Ajax’s Hakim Ziyech has either scored or assisted in nine of his past 12 Champions League appearances (four goals, six assists).
Ajax were shown two red cards in a Champions League game for the first time in their history.
Ajax’s opener against Chelsea (1:47) was the second earliest goal conceded by the Blues in the Champions League after Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma) in October 2017 (39 seconds).
