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Bayern Munich, Ajax draw in Champions League after 2 red cards

By Alex Butler
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League Group E soccer match between Ajax Amsterdam and FC Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA-EFE
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League Group E soccer match between Ajax Amsterdam and FC Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA-EFE

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Bayern Munich and Ajax finished their Champions League group stage match with 10 men each and it resulted in a 3-3 draw.

Both squads clinched a spot in the round of 16 with the result on Wednesday at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Bayern's Robert Lewandowski and Ajax's Dusan Tadic registered two goals apiece.

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"It was a crazy game," Lewandowski told FCBayern.com. "We could certainly have score one or two goals more. But fortunately we achieved our goal."

"We know that not everything was perfect today. For the future that means we can play even better and we have lots of potential."

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Lewandowski got the German Bundesliga power on the board first with a score in the 13th minute. That score was assisted by Serge Gnabry. Lewandowski broke free in the box and received the feed from his teammate, before lofting a right-footed shot into the near-post netting for first blood.

Bayern held the 1-0 lead through the halftime whistle before Tadic netted the equalizer for the home squad.

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek received a pass along the end line near the Bayern net on that possession. He sent a pass in front of the goal to find Tadic, who tapped it in at the far-post in the 61st minute.

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But there was much more action to come.

Maximilian Wober received a red card for Ajax in the 67th minute, before Bayern's Thomas Muller had the same fate in the 75th minute, reducing both squads to 10 men.

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Tadic put in a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to give Ajax a 2-1 advantage. But Lewandowski also netted a penalty kick five minutes later for another equalizer.

Kingsley Coman -- who came on as a substitute in the 71st minute -- scored the go-ahead goal in the 90th minute. He tapped down a pass from Thiago Alcantara on the play before booting a shot into the far-post netting and beating Ajax keeper Andre Onana.

But Ajax netted a very late equalizer scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time to end the game in a tie. Nicolas Tagliafico had that honor as he took a short feed from Klass-Jan Huntelaar and squared it up for a tap-in past Manuel Neuer.

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