Ajax on brink of UEFA Cup exit

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) Former winners Ajax Amsterdam are staring at UEFA Cup elimination while Parma and CSKA Moscow go into tomorrow's first knockout round, second-leg ties with work to do to remain in the competition.

Ajax face a huge task to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Werder Bremen, with the Dutch side once again hindered by injuries, suspension and unavailability.

''I am not saying that we have no chance,'' coach Henk ten Cate said. ''But it's obvious that it will be difficult.'' Midfielders Gabri and Olaf Lindenbergh are banned, Edgar Davids is cup-tied and injured defenders Urby Emanuelson, Zdenek Grygera and Thomas Vermaelen remain sidelined.

''Maybe we have to add two more youth players to the squad,'' added Ten Cate, who threw teenagers Mitchell Donald, 18 and Vurnon Anita, 17, into the fray in the first leg at the Weserstadion.

Claudio Ranieri began his tenure as Parma coach with two defeats in four days last week, and has made it clear that preserving his side's Serie A status will take priority over UEFA Cup progress.

Twice winners Parma, second from bottom in Serie A, will try and overturn a 1-0 defeat by Braga with Ranieri set to rotate his squad for the return in Italy.

''It's not going to be a vital match... but I never like to lose,'' Ranieri told the club's Web site.

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