Ajax lose 1-3 in their Europa League match against SS Lazio at the Johan Cruijff ArenA
Ajax lost 1-3 to Italian team SS Lazio in the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League. The Amsterdammers equalized through Bertrand Traore early into the second half, but goals from Pedro and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru gave the leaders of the Europa League the victory.
It was Ajax’s third loss in their last five matches and their second in a row in the UEFA Europa League after they lost to Real Sociedad in their previous game. Despite this, they will likely still advance in the Europa League as their next match is against RFS from Latvia, who have two points in their six games.
Lazio took the lead in the 12th minute. Lazio’s experienced Spanish player Pedro played a through ball to Loum Tchaouna, whose shot went in via the Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer.
Ajax had a chance to equalize in the 19th minute. A cross from Rensch found Brian Brobbey, but it was just about too high for the striker.
Francesco Farioli’s team made the best possible start to the second half by equalizing. Steven Berghuis’ cross was headed toward goal by Kenneth Taylor. Lazio defender Luca Pellegrini cleared the ball off the line, but it went out to Bertrand Traore, who smashed the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
However, the ArenA was silenced again five minutes later as the Roman team re-took the lead. A cross from Mattia Zaccagni went to the far post where Fisayo Dele-Bashiru shot toward the goal. Pasveer thought he had saved it initially, but goalline technology showed that the ball had gone over the line.
Brobbey had another chance to score later on in the half after Pellegrini’s attempt to chest the ball back to the keeper was intercepted by Brobbey, but the striker’s header went wide of the goal.
Pedro followed up his assist with a terrific goal in the 77th minute. Nuno Tavares came forward from his own half, dribbling past two players before passing the ball on to Tchaouna, who laid it off to the Spaniard.
Ajax created chances to equalize late on in the match. They hit the crossbar twice via Traore and Anton Gaaei before Chuba Akpom missed a significant chance to score.
