Ajax hit six in emphatic Conference League win at Midtjylland

Ajax swept aside FC Midtjylland 6-1 in Denmark on Thursday evening, scoring five times after the hosts were reduced to ten men in their Conference League meeting. Tolu Arokodare led the rout with two goals, while Owen Wijndal, Davy Klaassen, Oscar Gloukh and substitute Marcos Leonardo also found the net.

The kick-off in Herning was delayed because smoke from fireworks had gathered above the pitch. Once play began, Ajax quickly took control. Arokodare headed in Gloukh’s corner after nine minutes, but Midtjylland drew level in the 28th when Friday Etim beat Thilo Kehrer, rounded Marc ter Stegen and finished into an empty goal. Ajax appealed for a foul in the build-up, although VAR did not intervene.

The decisive moment arrived shortly before half-time. Kjell-Arik Wätjen, already booked, brought down Abdellah Ouazane and received a second yellow card in the 43rd minute. Ajax exploited their numerical advantage after the interval, with Ouazane setting up Arokodare to restore the lead in the 52nd minute. Wijndal then volleyed in a third seven minutes later.

Klaassen headed home Wijndal’s cross in the 67th minute before Gloukh cut in from the left and curled the fifth into the far corner. Marcos Leonardo completed the scoring with a close-range header eight minutes from time, sealing a dominant European away win for Míchel Sánchez’s side. Rayane Bounida also came off the bench for his first appearance of the season.