Ajax AmsterdamÆs John OÆBrien, the first American to play in the quarterfinal stage of European Champions League, saw his dream of reaching the semifinals end when Jon Dahl Tomasson scored a stoppage time goal to give AC Milan a 3-2 home win the second leg of the quarterfinal series.
Having tied 0-0 in Amsterdam two weeks earlier, a 2-2 tie would have seen Ajax through on away goals.
OÆBrien, who usually plays left back for Ajax, lined up at left midfield in front of Jelle Van Damme. The contingent of Ajax fans at an Siro Stadium gave the Ajax players a long standing ovation for their effort.
April 23 in Milan
Quarterfinal, Second Leg
AC Milan 3 Ajax Amsterdam 2. (First leg: 0-0; 3-2 aggregate)
Goals: Inzaghi 30, Shevchenko 65, Tomasson 91+; Litmanen 63, Pienaar 78.
AC Milan– Dida, Dario Simic (Tomasson 84), Nesta Maldini, Costacurta, Brocchi, Ambrosini, Costa (Redondo 85), Kaladze (Rivaldo, 80, Shevchenko, Inzaghi.
Ajax — Lobont, Trabelsi, Pasanen, Chivu, Van Damme (Litmanen, 46), Yakubu, Sneijder, O'Brien, Pienaar (De Jong 84), Ibrahimovic, van der Meyde (Bergdolmo 89).
Att.: 76,079.