Ajax survive Sion scare to secure Conference League place

Ajax booked their place in the Conference League league phase with a chaotic 5-3 home victory over FC Sion, completing a 9-5 aggregate win. Youri Baas gave the hosts an immediate lead, but Winsley Boteli struck twice as the Swiss side briefly threatened to overturn Ajax’s 4-2 advantage from the first leg.

Davy Klaassen restored parity before Tolu Arokodare put Ajax back in front shortly before half-time. The Nigerian scored again six minutes after the restart, finishing a move involving Julian Brandt and Abdellah Ouazane, before substitute Oliver Edvardsen converted Caio Henrique’s delivery for 5-2. Boteli completed his hat-trick in stoppage time.

The result could not disguise Ajax’s problems without the ball. Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was at fault for Sion’s second, dropping a routine cross into Boteli’s path, while midfielder Youri Regeer had to leave the game after suffering an injury. Ajax have now conceded ten times across their six Conference League qualifying matches and did not keep a clean sheet against any opponent.

Coach Míchel said Ajax’s first-half defending was connected to poor attacking play, but held up the second-half performance as a model for the season. Klaassen also acknowledged the three goals conceded while stressing his satisfaction with qualification. The captain told Ziggo Sport, as reported by De Telegraaf, that the sense of happiness among the home support was returning. Míchel added that signing a holding midfielder remains Ajax’s main transfer priority.