Ajax has been definitively eliminated from the Europa League after the defeat in Marseille. The Amsterdam team of coach John van ‘t Schip lost 4-3 at Olympique Marseille. Ajax can still finish third and qualify for the intermediate round in the Conference League.
Ajax came back from behind twice in the first half thanks to two goals from Brian Brobbey. The French had taken the lead through a converted penalty from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a header from Chancel Mbemba. Aubameyang scored the third French goal with a nice bicycle kick in the second half. Substitute Chuba Akpom equalized, but a second penalty from Aubameyang made it 4-3.
After five games, Ajax is last in group B with 2 points. That is 2 fewer than AEK Athens. The Amsterdam team has already been eliminated, but will close the group stage on December 14 with a home match against AEK Athens. Brighton & Hove Albion, which won 1-0 against AEK earlier on Thursday, has 10 points. Olympique Marseille is in the lead with 11 points.
Hope for AZ in Conference League
AZ also played a European match in the Conference League against the Bosnian club HSK Zrinjski Mostar on Thursday. Due to the narrow 1-0 victory, AZ retains a small chance of wintering in Europe. The team took the lead against Zrinjski Mostar after almost an hour through a converted penalty from Vangelis Pavlidis. A better AZ already had chances before that, but a goal was not achieved.
Aston Villa kept AZ’s hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Legia Warsaw later on Thursday evening. If the Alkmaarders win at Legia on December 14, coach Pascal Jansen’s team will still advance to the Conference League. (AP)