Ajax succumbed to their fifth straight defeat in the Champions League group stages, going down 2-0 at home to Benfica in a dogged basement battle.

Interim coach Fred Grim gave a debut to 19-year-old midfielder Rayane Bounida and recalled on-loan goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros as he looked to end a run of six defeats in Ajax’s last nine games.

Grim was entitled to feel aggrieved at the way the Portuguese side took the lead in the sixth minute. Left-back Samuel Dahl lashed in a flying volley from a corner, but replays showed Leandro Barreiro was offside in the move that led to the opportunity.

José Mourinho’s side rarely threatened Ajax’s goal after that, but the home side also struggled to create chances, despite Bounida stretching the defence on the right-hand side with his passing and dribbling.

Ajax stepped up the pressure after the interval as they won a string of corners. Davy Klaassen had an outstanding chance to level when he received the ball in front of goal with only Anatoliy Trubin to beat, but he dragged his shot well wide.

Jaros made an outstanding save to deny right-back Amar Dedic as Benfica started to find openings on the counter, before Barreiro completed a miserable night when he was played through on the left and rifled a shot into the top corner.

The result means Ajax have made the worst start ever by a Dutch team in the Champions League group stages, losing five games with a goal difference of minus 15 to sit bottom of the 36-team table.

It was also the Amsterdam club’s 15th defeat of the calendar year, a record they have only surpassed once, in 1964. That was also the year Johan Cruyff made his debut for the club, on November 15.

Their next Champions League game is a visit to Azerbaijan champions Qarabağ on December 10.