Ajax 1 Legia Warsaw 0 (agg 1-0): Nick Viergever grabs his second goal in two years to send Dutch giants through

FOUR-time European Champions Ajax edged their way into the last 16 of the Europa League thanks to a rare goal from Nick Viergever.

After 138 minutes of action, the deadlock was eventually broken by the defender who bagged just his second goal in two years.

The game needed a moment of magic and after some scintillating passing, the ball found Davy Klaassen in the box who laid it into the path of Hakim Ziyech.

His first time effort was beaten away by the keeper but right into the path of Viergever to poke home three minutes into the second-half.

Following a 0-0 draw in the first-leg, Ajax dominated the early possession but had to wait until the 19th minute to create their first clear-cut opportunity.

And they were so unlucky not to break the deadlock.

Following some good work down the left flank by Amin Younes, the forward squared the ball to the talented Ziyech whose effort hit off the post with the keeper beaten.

Kasper Dolberg should have pounced on the rebound but was caught on his heels.

Two minutes later and another Younes cross from the left trickled across the six yard box with no bodies to tap home the simplest of finishes.

The Polish champions were soaking up the pressure and came within inches of grabbing a vital away goal when Vadis Odjidja-Ofie couldn't poke home Michal Kucharczyk's cross five minutes before the first-half whistle.

It was a stark warning for the Dutch giants who were up against a side that held Real Madrid to a thrilling 3-3 draw earlier in the campaign.

But the home side only had to wait three minutes in the second period to break the deadlock through Viergever as a huge sigh of relief swept around the stadium.

It forced the visitors come come out fighting but Legia were seriously lacking creativity in the final third.

And it was Ajax who came closest to grabbing the second when Lasse Schone's strike whistled past the post.