Davy Klaassen brace helps Ajax knock out PAOK

Ajax have reached the Champions League playoffs after Davy Klaassen's brace clinched a late 2-1 win over Greek side PAOK in the second leg of their third qualifying round tie at the Toumba Stadium.

The hosts took the lead after just four minutes when Stefanos Athanasiadis jumped highest inside the box to meet Garry Rodrigues's corner and smashed a header downwards past goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

Ajax found themselves struggling as PAOK weighed in with more chances from the likes of Rodrigues, Athanasiadis and Yevgeniy Shakhov, but the Dutch giants had a reprieve when Marin Leovac's challenge in the box gifted them a penalty, which skipper Klaassen duly converted.

Vladimir Ivic's charges continued to push on during a cagey second half as Rodrigues nodded just wide shortly after the restart and Georgios Tzavellas's thumping free kick on 54 minutes forced a save from Cillessen.

With just two minutes to go, however, Peter Bosz's side struck what proved to be the winner through Klaassen, who pounced on a loose ball outside the box to smash a shot past the reach of Panagiotis Glikos and put the Amsterdam side into the next round of the competition.