Intense Clash in Belgium
Ajax scraped through to the Europa League last 16, enduring a night of high drama against Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) with a nail-biting 3-2 aggregate victory. The Dutch champions started the match with confidence, holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, but quickly found themselves on unstable ground.
From the outset, USG seemed determined to overturn the deficit, exhibiting dominant play. Kevin Mac Allister bolstered their resolve, heading home the opening goal in the 16th minute, igniting the home crowd at Stade Joseph Marien. Trouble compounded for Ajax when Davy Klaassen's moment of misfortune resulted in a handball inside the box. A red card swiftly followed, and Promise David slotted the resulting penalty, leveling the tie on aggregate and shifting the momentum firmly to USG.
The hosts continued to dictate the game. An offside intervention by VAR denied Sofian Boufal a goal, but pressure remained relentless on Ajax's defense. They managed to limp into halftime, still level but rattled.
Second-Half Surprises
What would a football match be without a thrilling comeback? The halftime whistle was a chance for Ajax to regroup. Coach Erik ten Hag made critical changes, introducing Bertrand Traoré, Anton Gaaei, and Ahmetcan Kaplan, injecting pace and energy into the flailing squad.
The substitutes had an immediate impact, helping Ajax wrestle back portions of control. Despite USG's aggressive play, Ajax's goalkeeper, Remko Pasveer, stood tall, denying crucial attempts and keeping the dream alive.
Eventually, as the full-time whistle blew, the tension shifted to extra time. Just three minutes in, fortune smiled back at Ajax. Bertrand Traoré's shot inadvertently struck USG's Christian Burgess on the arm, handing Ajax a penalty. Kenneth Taylor, seemingly unfazed by the pressure, stepped up, converting with ice-cool precision.
However, the drama was far from over. Minutes later, Jorrel Hato's unfortunate injury reduced Ajax to nine men, heightening anxiety in the closing stages. Yet, Ajax's resolve remained unshaken. In the 115th minute, Taylor again rousted to action with a goal-line clearance, securing the win and the path forward to face Eintracht Frankfurt.
The evening epitomized the unpredictable nature of football, with Ajax advancing by the skin of their teeth, leaving the fans in breathless anticipation of the challenges ahead.
