Manchester City's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage suffered another crushing blow with a comprehensive defeat at Ajax.

Samir Nasri slotted City ahead against the run of play in Amsterdam, but Siem de Jong equalised for Ajax with a low finish just before half-time and Niklas Moisander headed them in front.

Christian Eriksen made it three with a strike that deflected off Gael Clichy.

Defeat leaves City bottom of Group D with one point from three games.

After 32 years...

Ajax's victory over Manchester City was their first win against English opposition on home soil since they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the 1980 European Champion Clubs' Cup semi-finals

They host Ajax on 6 November and Real Madrid on 21 November before finishing at Borussia Dortmund on 4 December.

Dortmund lead the way on seven points, one clear of Real and three above Ajax. The top two advance to the last 16.

City fell at the first hurdle last season - their Champions League debut - and look set to suffer the same fate this time round.

They can point to the difficulty of being drawn alongside the champions of Spain, Germany and the Netherlands - but their seeding will not improve until they reach the knockout stage.

City's Abu Dhabi owners are unlikely to look happily on such a return for their lavish investment, and the team's shortcomings have rarely been exposed as cruelly as they were in Amsterdam ArenA.

Ajax started the match in a manner evoking memories of their glorious past, when a side featuring Johan Cruyff won three European Cups in the early 1970s.

Ajax defeat is my fault - Mancini

A fourth arrived in 1995 with the help of current coach Frank de Boer and his largely home-grown team contrasts sharply with City's expensively assembled squad.

They pass and move with pace and flair, forming combinations all over the pitch and attacking fluidly from wide or through the middle.

Ajax dominated the opening 20 minutes and signalled their intent when Eriksen shot narrowly wide after neat work from Daley Blind and Lasse Schone.

Blind - the 22-year-old son of former Ajax great Danny - continually raced forward from left-back and Ricardo van Rhijn was similarly effective on the opposite side.

But Eriksen was the most prominent threat and he again went close having shimmied past a leaden-footed Gareth Barry.

If one criticism could be levelled at Ajax it was that they were not challenging City goalkeeper Joe Hart, and punishment arrived.

Micah Richards advanced on the right and found James Milner, who fed Nasri to clip a crisp strike past Kenneth Vermeer.

Analysis

Image of Robbie Savage Robbie Savage BBC Radio 5 live

"Ajax are a team. They play for each other and looked good tonight. But where do Manchester City go from here? I think they are going out. It is only their second year in the Champions League but they've been hammered in Madrid and hammered here tonight. They've been naïve away from home."

The hosts were suddenly subdued and Vermeer prevented Richards doubling their advantage as City began to exert control.

But with half-time in sight, Roberto Mancini's men switched off and De Jong met Van Rhijn's cross with a crunching first-time effort.

Sergio Aguero was foiled by Vermeer in the opening moments of the second half and that save proved crucial. Shortly after, Moisander got away from Joleon Lescott and glanced home Eriksen's corner.

Mancini swiftly replaced Lescott with the more attack-minded Aleksander Kolarov, yet it seemed to further disrupt City's flow.

Ajax were now full of confidence and Shone was able to rob Barry before Eriksen went past Vincent Kompany and beat Hart via a significant deflection off Clichy.

Hart saved his side's blushes when one-one-one with Tobias Sana, while Mancini introduced Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli in attack.

Edin Dzeko, Nasri and Sergio Aguero all had chances to keep City's hopes alive, but Ajax held on comfortably for their first home win against English opposition since 1980.

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (5)

Ajax

  • 01 Vermeer
  • 03 Alderweireld
  • 04 Moisander
  • 17 Blind Booked
  • 05 C Poulsen
  • 08 Eriksen
  • 10 De Jong
  • 19 Sana (Enoh - 74' )
  • 20 Schone (Boerrigter - 89' )
  • 24 Van Rhijn
  • 49 Babel

Substitutes

  • 22 Cillessen
  • 33 Veltman
  • 35 Dijks
  • 06 Enoh
  • 07 Sulejmani
  • 21 Boerrigter
  • 39 Fischer

Manchester City

  • 01 Hart
  • 02 Richards
  • 04 Kompany
  • 06 Lescott (Kolarov - 63' Booked )
  • 22 Clichy
  • 07 Milner (Balotelli - 77' )
  • 08 Nasri
  • 18 Barry (Tevez - 71' )
  • 42 Y Toure Booked
  • 10 Dzeko
  • 16 Aguero

Substitutes

  • 30 Pantilimon
  • 13 Kolarov
  • 33 Nastasic
  • 11 Sinclair
  • 74 Evans
  • 32 Tevez
  • 45 Balotelli
Ref: Oddvar Moen
Att: 45,743

Match Stats

Shots

12 11

On target

6 6

Corners

3 6

Fouls

6 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:08 Full time

Full Time The final whistle is blown by the referee.

90:00 +0:26

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mario Balotelli by Eyong Enoh. Aleksandar Kolarov has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.

89:41

Free kick awarded for a foul by Derk Boerrigter on Gael Clichy. Aleksandar Kolarov restarts play with the free kick.

89:12

Carlos Tevez takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Siem De Jong.

88:27 Substitution

Substitution Lasse Schone goes off and Derk Boerrigter comes on.

87:53

Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Aleksandar Kolarov from the left by-line to the near post.

87:01

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Aleksandar Kolarov, save made by Kenneth Vermeer.

85:32

Sergio Aguero produces a left-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar.

84:29

Samir Nasri concedes a free kick for a foul on Lasse Schone. Ricardo Van Rhijn takes the free kick.

79:59

Free kick awarded for a foul by Daley Blind on Mario Balotelli. Aleksandar Kolarov delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right by-line, save made by Kenneth Vermeer.

78:21

Christian Poulsen restarts play with the free kick.

78:21 Booking

Booking Yaya Toure is given a yellow card.

78:14

Yaya Toure challenges Siem De Jong unfairly and gives away a free kick.

76:53 Substitution

Substitution Mario Balotelli is brought on as a substitute for James Milner.

75:55

Samir Nasri has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.

74:20

Free kick taken by Christian Poulsen.

74:20 Booking

Booking Aleksandar Kolarov booked.

74:13

Aleksandar Kolarov challenges Lasse Schone unfairly and gives away a free kick.

73:30 Substitution

Substitution Eyong Enoh is brought on as a substitute for Tobias Sana.

72:33

Ryan Babel takes a shot. Save by Joe Hart.

72:02

Edin Dzeko takes a shot. Save by Kenneth Vermeer.

71:50

Foul by Christian Eriksen on Gael Clichy, free kick awarded. Joe Hart takes the free kick.

71:25

Samir Nasri takes a shot. Niklas Moisander gets a block in.

70:50

Corner from left by-line taken by Samir Nasri.

70:50 Substitution

Substitution Carlos Tevez comes on in place of Gareth Barry.

70:11

Edin Dzeko takes a shot. Kenneth Vermeer makes a save.

69:27

Tobias Sana takes a shot. Save by Joe Hart.

67:16

Assist on the goal came from Ricardo Van Rhijn.

67:16 Goal scored

Goal - Christian Eriksen - Ajax 3 - 1 Man City A goal is scored by Christian Eriksen from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Ajax 3-1 Man City.

65:15

James Milner produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.

64:37

The ball is swung over by James Milner.

62:28 Substitution

Substitution Joleon Lescott goes off and Aleksandar Kolarov comes on.

60:50

Edin Dzeko concedes a free kick for a foul on Kenneth Vermeer. Kenneth Vermeer restarts play with the free kick.

58:46

Corner from left by-line taken by Samir Nasri.

56:49

Christian Eriksen provided the assist for the goal.

56:49 Goal scored

Goal - Niklas Moisander - Ajax 2 - 1 Man City Niklas Moisander scores a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Ajax 2-1 Man City.

56:19

Corner taken by Christian Eriksen played to the near post,

53:30

James Milner challenges Siem De Jong unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Niklas Moisander.

53:00

Samir Nasri challenges Ricardo Van Rhijn unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ricardo Van Rhijn restarts play with the free kick.

50:59

The assistant referee flags for offside against Edin Dzeko. Direct free kick taken by Toby Alderweireld.

49:51

Corner taken by Christian Eriksen from the left by-line to the near post, Joe Hart makes a comfortable save.

46:39

The offside flag is raised against Edin Dzeko. Toby Alderweireld takes the free kick.

45:18

Sergio Aguero takes a shot. Niklas Moisander gets a block in.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +1:04 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

44:08

Assist by Ricardo Van Rhijn.

44:08 Goal scored

Goal - Siem De Jong - Ajax 1 - 1 Man City Siem De Jong finds the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Ajax 1-1 Man City.

43:57

Ricardo Van Rhijn crosses the ball,

42:21

Ryan Babel takes a shot. Save by Joe Hart.

40:26

Shot from just outside the box by Lasse Schone goes over the crossbar.

37:36

James Milner gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Siem De Jong. Christian Eriksen takes the direct free kick.

35:52

The assistant referee signals for offside against Edin Dzeko. Toby Alderweireld takes the free kick.

32:09

Effort on goal by Ricardo Van Rhijn from just inside the penalty area goes over the target.

30:46

The official flags Edin Dzeko offside. Kenneth Vermeer takes the free kick.

28:23

James Milner takes the free kick.

28:23 Booking

Booking Daley Blind goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

28:18

Unfair challenge on Edin Dzeko by Daley Blind results in a free kick.

28:03

Micah Richards takes a shot. Kenneth Vermeer makes a save.

23:03

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Samir Nasri played to the near post, Toby Alderweireld manages to make a clearance.

21:23

The assist for the goal came from James Milner.

21:23 Goal scored

Goal - Samir Nasri - Ajax 0 - 1 Man City Samir Nasri fires in a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Ajax 0-1 Man City.

20:07

Christian Eriksen has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses right.

19:19

Close range header by Siem De Jong goes wide of the left-hand post.

18:20

Tobias Sana fouled by Gael Clichy, the ref awards a free kick. Christian Poulsen takes the direct free kick.

8:32

Christian Eriksen produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the target.

6:35

Edin Dzeko takes the chance to get an effort at goal and missed to the left of the net.

5:20

The ball is swung over by Ricardo Van Rhijn.

4:23

Siem De Jong produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target.

1:44

Free kick awarded for a foul by Tobias Sana on Edin Dzeko. Direct free kick taken by Joe Hart.

1:44

Ricardo Van Rhijn concedes a free kick for a foul on Edin Dzeko. Direct free kick taken by Joe Hart.

1:04

Corner taken right-footed by Christian Eriksen, Yaya Toure makes a clearance.

0:17

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lasse Schone by Gareth Barry. Direct free kick taken by Christian Poulsen.

0:00

The game gets underway.

Live text and data provided by The Press Association