<text>  Roman Zozulyas first-half strike edged Dnipro to a crucial win against Dutch champions Ajax at the Kiev Olympic Stadium. Having squandered a series of early chances the hosts took the lead on the half hour mark when Zozulya collected Yevhen Konoplyankas cut back to send a left-footed strike across Jasper Cillessen and into the net. Dnipro, playing in their first ever last 16 tie in the Europa League, kept Frank De Boers side relatively quiet and head to Amsterdam next week in a promising position. Dnipro players celebrate Roman Zozulyas opening strike, which proved to be the winner in Ukraine . DNIPRO 4-4-2: Boyko; Fedetskiy, Douglas, Cheberyachko, Egidio; Fedorchuk, Rotan, Zozulya, Bezus Gama 57; Konoplyanka Shakhov 81, Seleznyov Kalinic 75 Subs not used: Lastuvka, Luchkevych, Svatok, Blyznychenko . Scorer: Zozulya 30 . Booked: Fedetskiy, Rotan, Zozulya, Shakhov . AJAX 4-3-3: Cillessen; van Rhijn, Veltman, Viergever, Boilesen; Bazoer, Klaassen, Serero Sinkgraven 59; El Ghazi, Milik Zivkovic 76, Schone Kishna 60 Subs not used: Moisander, van der Hoorn, Andersen, Boer . Booked: Boilesen, Bazoer . Referee: Ivan Bebek . Ajax were hoping to maintain a seven game unbeaten run in all competitions but struggled to break down the dogged hosts. The first chance went the way of the visitors after just four minutes as midfielder Thulani Serero attempted to chip keeper Denys Boyko but that was a rare moment of progress for Ajax. However in first-half stoppage time Joel Veltman spurned a glorious chance to level the contest when standing all alone at the back post, but the centre-back blasted a volley way over the bar from a few yards out. De Boers side improved after the break but failed to register a single shot on target and will have to improve drastically for the second leg in Amsterdam next Thursday. It wasnt all good news for the hosts as Artem Fedetskiy, Ruslan Rotan and Roman Zozulya all picked up booking to rule themselves out of the second leg in Holland. Ajax manager Frank De Boer fails to hide his frustration as the Dutch side failed to find an away goal . Ajaxs Joel Veltman left challenges for the ball against Yevhen Konoplyanka of Dnipro on Thursday . Yevhen Seleznyov left of Dnipro vies for the ball with Nick Viergever right of Ajax in Ukraine . Dnipros Artem Fedetskiy left fights for the ball with Ajaxs Arkadiusz Milik during the Europa League clash . Dnipros Nikola Kalinic left fights for the ball with Ajaxs Davy Klaassen during the Europa League match . 