Ajax still in the Conference League
Too unimaginative at the front and flawed at the back: SC Freiburg missed out on direct entry into the round of 16 of the Europa League. The Bundesliga team lost 2-0 to West Ham United on Thursday and has to take the detour via the second round due to the away defeat. The goals from Mohammed Kudus (15th minute) and Edson Álvarez (42nd) made the difference. In order to push the English Premier League club out of first place, Freiburg would have had to win due to their 2-1 defeat in the first leg.
However, the adventure on the island, which the Freiburg team and especially coach Christian Streich had been extremely looking forward to, ended with a setback for the Breisgau team. “I have never played in a competition in the best and most expensive league, where they have by far the most money. It motivates us extremely to show that we small Freiburgers from the Bundesliga can play a good game here,” Streich said.
His players didn’t succeed. Only the first scene belonged to the sports club. Driven by more than 3,500 traveling fans, Nicolas Höfler had the first goal for the guests (1st). West Ham followed suit. The home team wanted to show a reaction after the 5-0 defeat at FC Fulham last weekend. Lucas Paquetá failed with a shot against the crossbar (5th). But ten minutes later, Kudus evaded his opponent Jordy Makengo and scored.
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As in the first leg, the Freiburg team treated the Londoners with great respect – and were punished for their passivity. Despite the two-point approach, there was hardly anything going forward. On defense, the SC suffered some hair-raising ball losses. Jarrod Bowen almost accepted one of these gifts. However, the attacker was offside for the supposed second goal (25th).
The “Hammers” extended their lead before the break. Because Freiburg didn’t get access, Álvarez, who was courted by Borussia Dortmund before the season, effortlessly increased the number. Streich reacted and took Roland Sallai off the field. Merlin Röhl, who came on for the Hungarian, provided a brief boost. But Lukasz Fabianski was there (50th).
West Ham remained in control of the game despite Freiburg’s warning shot: Bowen failed to get a controlled finish (52′) and Kudus missed his attempt (54′). There was no rebellion from Freiburg, who had been so accurate in the Europa League so far, and some top performers were spared in the final phase. Ritsu Doan’s curling shot didn’t change that (74′).
In addition to West Ham, Liverpool, Slavia Prague and Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton & Hove Albion, Atalanta Bergamo, Villarreal FC and Glasgow Rangers also qualified directly for the round of 16 as group winners in the Europa League.
Ajax Amsterdam still reached third place in the table with a 3-1 (2-1) win against AEK Athens and can at least take part in the knockout round of the Conference League in the new year. Teenager Jorrel Hato captained the Dutch record champions at the age of 17 years and 282 days. He became the youngest starting eleven captain in the club’s long European Cup history.
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