Dutch side Ajax secured a 2-1 win against Galatasaray in a thrilling Europe League fixture at Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Despite both teams pressing forward, it was Ajax who broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute. Bertrand Traore finished in close range after Fernando Muslera parried a powerful shot, putting the home side ahead 1-0.
Galatasaray responded with attacking plays, but Ajax’s defense held firm. The first half ended with Ajax maintaining their lead.
The second half saw both sides creating dangerous opportunities, making for a fast-paced contest. In the 58th minute, Traore delivered a well-placed assist to Kian Fitz-Jim, who made a close-range finish to extend Ajax’s lead to 2-0.
Galatasaray continued to push forward, but their attempts were denied by Ajax’s solid backline. The match became more physical, with Galatasaray players picking up yellow cards -- Victor Osimhen in the 38th minute, Lucas Torreira in the 53rd and Davinson Sanchez in the 79th -- resulting in all three being suspended for the next match.
The visitors found a late response in stoppage time. In the 90+4th minute, following a corner kick, Osimhen finished in close range, reducing the deficit to 2-1. However, it was too late to mount a full comeback.
With the result, Ajax finished the group stage in the 12th position, while Galatasaray failed to achieve their goal of finishing the stage in the top eight and ended up in 14th position.
With the group stage in the new format of the organization coming to an end, Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiakos and Rangers finished as the top eight teams, respectively. These teams qualified to the final 16 round.
Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, FCSB, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Roma, Plzen, Ferencvaros, Porto, AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise, PAOK, Twente and Fenerbahce finished among the top 24 teams, qualifying for playoffs for the final 16 round.
Meanwhile, Braga, Elfsborg, Hoffenheim, Besiktas, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Slavia Prague, Malmo, RFS, Ludogorets, Dynamo Kyiv, OGC Nice and Qarabag were eliminated from the European League.
Other results
Midtjylland 2 - 2 Fenerbahce
Twente 1 - 0 Besiktas
Anderlecht 3 - 4 Hoffenheim
Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 RFS
Slavia Prague 2 - 2 Malmo
Real Sociedad 2 - 0 PAOK
Olympiakos 3 - 0 Qarabag
Lyon 1 - 1 Ludogorets
Maccabi Tel Aviv 0 - 1 Porto
Roma 2 - 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
Athletic Club 3 - 1 Viktoria Plzen
Braga 1 - 0 Lazio
Rangers 2 - 1 Union Saint-Gilloise
FCSB 0 - 2 Manchester United
Ferencvaros 4 - 3 AZ
OGC Nice 1 - 1 Bodo/Glimt
Tottenham 3 - 0 Elfsborg
