Ajax has escaped elimination in the Europa League. In 28 minutes, the club wasted the lead built up last week on Union Sint-Gillis, but struck in the extension. Kenneth Taylor used a penalty for the team that played with ten men for more than an hour and a half through a red card from Davy Klaassen.
Ajax continues the European adventure after sixteen duels with a place in the eighth finals against Eintracht Frankfurt or Olympique Lyon. The team of trainer Francesco Farioli has also returned to reality after seven consecutive victories in the Eredivisie. The team learned that the motivated opponents such as Union cannot set aside in half strength.
After the lost home game, Union still believed in a good result. Ajax started weakly and lost many duels without, among others, the sick Youri Baas and Brian Brobbey and the injured Wout Weghorst. That did not change after Kevin Mac Allister’s opening goal, who headed in the sixteenth minute. Even after a rejected goal from Sofiane Boufal, who was sidelined, the home team remained inattentive.
Ajax really got into trouble in the 27th minute when Davy Klaassen blocked a shot by Ousseynou Niang with his arm and caused a penalty kick. The midfielder received red and Promise David used the penalty (0-2). Taylor appeared before half -time in the field as a replacement for the injured Rasmussen. Steven Berghuis, Daniele Rugani and Edvardsen gave way to Traoré, Ahmetcan Kaplan and Gaaei in the peace.
With five defenders, Ajax remained under pressure after the break. The home team did not give away very big possibilities, but remained virtually harmless, except for a Scot by Traoré. Ajax fought for an extension, in which it struck after three minutes. Taylor was allowed to take a penalty after a handball by Christian Burgess. The midfielder, also decisively against Feyenoord last month, decided the diptych with a placed shot. Ajax then staggered, sometimes with some happiness, to stand up.
FC Twente not through, AZ does
FC Twente did not succeed in reaching the eighth finals in the Europa League. The team of trainer Joseph Oosting lost in the interim round after extension with 5-2 from the Norwegian FK Bodø/Glimt. FC Twente had won the first game in Enschede 2-1.
After ninety minutes it was still 1-1 with which the Tukkers would continue in Europe. After the Norwegians had scored twice in the extra time and seemed to have assured itself of a European follow-up, Sem Steijn made the 3-2, which made an extension necessary. In this, Sondre Fet made the 4-2 in the 111st minute, not much later followed by Arno Verschueren’s own goal.
AZ has qualified for the eighth finals of the Europa League. The Alkmaarders played a draw in Istanbul against Galatasaray (2-2) and that was more than enough after last week’s home victory of 4-1. For a place in the quarterfinals, AZ is taking on Manchester United of Tottenham Hotspur. The draw is Friday.