Ajax is on the verge of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League after grinding out a 0-0 draw at Lyon on Tuesday, while the French club's hopes are all but over after failing to take its chances.
Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer made a stunning one-handed save to deny substitute Alexandre Lacazette in the last minute, but Ajax had the better chances until Lyon rallied in a frantic last 10 minutes.
''I am proud of my players. Lyon have qualified for the next stage on a number of occasions so getting a draw was a good achievement,'' Ajax coach Frank de Boer said. ''This is the level I want us to play at all the time.''
De Boer had special praise for defender Jan Vertonghen and said Vermeer ''kept us in the game late on.'' However, the former Netherlands defender lamented the fact that Ajax ''certainly should have scored one at the other end.''
Lyon coach Remi Garde, meanwhile, rued his stuttering attack.
''The results don't lie. We didn't concede a goal tonight, but we couldn't score against a good Ajax team and didn't manage to score over there, either,'' he said. ''Of course the two matches against Real Madrid were very tough and the goal difference will now pose a problem for us.''
Lyon has scored only twice in the last four games and playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, who cost ?22 million ($27.8 million) when he signed from Bordeaux early last season, was again virtually anonymous.
''We're disappointed we couldn't finish the game off at the end because we caused them problems,'' Garde said. ''We gave everything and some of the players were on their knees at the end.''
Second-place Ajax has eight points, three points more than Lyon, and a vastly superior goal difference heading into the final Group D game. Lyon must win convincingly at Dinamo Zagreb and hope the Dutch side loses heavily at home to group winners Real Madrid to turn around a current seven-goal deficit.
''We'll keep believing in miracles and see what happens,'' Garde said.
Lyon's overly cautious approach played straight into Ajax's side, and the French club's 'keeper Hugo Lloris was kept busy throughout at Stade Gerland.
After losing its last three matches and five of the last seven, Lyon's confidence was understandably low and luck went against Garde's side.
Moments before Lacazette went close, Lyon had strong claims for a penalty waved away after Brazilian midfielder Ederson appeared to be shoved in the back by Eyong Enoh as he prepared to shoot from just inside the penalty area.
Lyon missed an early chance when striker Lisandro Lopez drifted past Toby Alderweireld and curled a shot that Vermeer palmed away awkwardly.
But Lyon could easily have gone a goal down as it failed to cope with Ajax's intricate passing game for long spells.
''I think we lacked a bit of energy in the first half. In the second half we played higher up the pitch and played with more speed,'' Garde said. ''I would have preferred to have started the game this way. But even though this Ajax team is young and lacks experience, it is a tough team to move around.''
Vertonghen sent a header just over from a corner in the fifth minute, and midfielder Christian Eriksen and Theo Janssen looked dangerous early on, finding space too easily as central defenders Cris and Dejan Lovren constantly backed off.
Lyon barely threatened, with Bafetimbi Gomis and Jimmy Briand both finding space but failing to test Vermeer.
Ajax finished the half strongly, however, and Lorenzo Ebecilio saw his half-chance deflected away in the closing stages. Vertonghen was a permanent menace on high balls and, from the ensuing corner, Lyon's defense hacked the ball away.
The Dutch side continued to look assured early in the second half.
The 19-year-old Eriksen, who has drawn comparisons with famed Danish playmaker Michael Laudrup because of his exceptional skill and vision, almost set up the opening goal in the 51st minute.
After swapping passes with midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, he burst through the Lyon midfield and ran at the heart of its defense before flicking the ball right to Miralem Sulejmani, whose close-range shot was expertly saved by Lloris.
Refusing to commit himself, the France No. 1 stood up until the last second and forced Sulejmani to hurry his shot.
Lyon again failed to defend the corner properly, with Gomis heading the ball straight to Vertonghen, who forced Lloris into a leaping save from 15 yards out.
Sulejmani had another shot closed down in the 59th minute as Ajax continued to pour forward.
With 20 minutes remaining, Bastos drew a fumbled save from Vermeer with a shot from outside the area
Lopez, who only returned from an ankle injury last Friday, looked tired and was replaced soon after by Ederson.
Ederson set up Bastos, and he forced Vermeer into a spectacular save with his curling shot in the 73rd.
