Ajax score twice in injury time to snatch a draw against Bodø/Glimt

Ajax managed to avoid a painful defeat against Bodø/Glimt in the interim round of the Conference League with two goals in injury time: 2-2. Substitute Branco van den Boomen converted a penalty in the 91st minute, and Steven Berghuis scored the equalizer in the 97th minute.

Ajax looked like they would fall badly short of the third level for European clubs and found themselves trailing 2-0 after 63 minutes, after two goals from Albert Grønbæk. But substitute defender Odin Bjørtuft pushed Brian Brobbey to the ground in the 91st minute, and Van den Boomen kept his nerve from eleven meters. Berghuis made the Johan Cruijff Arena crowd explode with joy in the 97th minute.

Ajax still faces a challenging task next week on artificial grass in northern Norway to qualify for the last sixteen. But the hard-fought draw offers more hope than a painful 2-0 defeat that the club seemed to be heading for.

Ajax noticed that it is difficult to play football against Bodø/Glimt. The Norwegian champion can defend well and has physically strong players with excellent running ability. The club has already eliminated AZ in Europe and won 5-1 against Celtic two years ago over two matches. This season, the side has beaten Besiktas twice. But their highlight was two victories over AS Roma (6-1, 2-1), Feyenoord's current opponent in the Europa League.

Ajax manager John van 't Schip no longer had room in his starting team for Borna Sosa and Carlos Forbs, the two biggest disappointments of Sunday's loss in the away match against SC Heerenveen (3-2). He gave Chuba Akpom a start and also had the recovered Devyne Rensch at his disposal. The Ajax coach demanded the utmost concentration from his players and emphasized that they had to defend compactly. That, again, proved to be too much to ask for many of his players.

Akpom was close to the opening goal in the 14th minute, but goalkeeper Kjetil Haug just got enough on the ball to ensure it hit the crossbar. Two minutes later, Bodø/Glimt struck after a quick attack. Grønbæk surprised goalkeeper Diant Ramaj with a soft shot into the corner (0-1) after weak defending from Ajax.

Bodø/Glimt sat back even more after the opening goal, and Ajax hardly created any chances. The game seemed over when Grønbæk took advantage of a mistake by Tristan Gooijer in the 63rd minute. But Van den Boomen and Berghuis increased the home team's chances of a place in the last sixteen with two goals in injury time.