Ajax beat AEK Athens 3-1 to qualify for the Conference League
Ajax defeated AEK Athens 3-1 in the Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday to qualify for the next round of the Conference League. The Amsterdammers needed to beat AEK to finish third in their Europa League group, which they did due to goals from Chuba Akpom and Kenneth Taylor.
Ajax was missing two of their most experienced players, Steven Berghuis and captain Steven Bergwijn. Berghuis was suspended after getting sent off in the last European match against Olympique Marseille. Bergwijn is injured. Chuba Akpom and Carlos Forbs replaced them.
The Amsterdammers knew they would have to win to finish third in the group and enter the UEFA Conference League. And they made the perfect start, opening the scoring after just five minutes. Kristian Hlynsson's corner was headed into the net by Chuba Akpom after AEK Athens keeper Giorgos Athanasiadis had missed the ball when coming out.
But AEK equalized six minutes later. Niclas Eliasson swung a cross into the box, and it was headed perfectly into the far corner by Ex-AZ and Excelsior striker Levi Garcia.
The Greek side nearly took the lead shortly after when right-back Lazaros Rota dribbled past three players before laying it off to Steven Zuber in the box. The attacker's attempt was saved out of the top corner by Ajax keeper Diant Ramaj.
The third goal of the match was scored in the first twenty minutes, and it was the home team that retook the lead. Jorrel Hato, who made history by becoming Ajax's youngest captain in a European match in history at 17, celebrated the occasion by assisting another youth product, Kenneth Taylor. The centre-back won the ball in a dangerous position before passing it to Taylor, who turned before smashing it hard and low into the far corner, leaving Athanasiadis with no chance.
It could have been a more comfortable lead come halftime when Brian Brobbey made his trademark move using his strength to turn away from the defender, but his finish was left wanting as Athanasiadis saved.
Akpom got his second of the match to double Ajax's lead in the 56th minute, and again, it was poor keeping from Athanasiadis. Substitute Ar'jany Martha won the ball off ex-Eredivisie midfielder Nordin Amrabat before playing it through to the English striker, whose shot was over the ground and straight at the keeper. Still, he let it go under him and into the goal. Athanasiadis is usually the second-choice keeper at AEK, and this performance will not convince manager Matias Almeyda to change his mind.
Incredibly, Akpom missed three one-on-one chances to get his hat trick in the last half an hour of the match. The first was in the 66th minute when he hit it into the midriff of Athanasiadis before his attempted cross to Taylor came back off the post.
The second was made worse by the run of the debutant Tristan Gooijer next to him, who had a tap-in. Akpom went alone and yet again hit it straight at the keeper.
The third was in injury time when Gooijer played him through, but this time, he made the keeper dive as Athanasiadis knocked it wide for a corner.
Ajax proved on the night that they were a level above their Greek opponents, and they will now await who they face in the playoff round for the Conference League. The draw is on the 18th of December in Nyon, Switzerland. Ajax returns to Eredivisie action this weekend when they face PEC Zwolle at home.
