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Ajax returned to winning ways in Europe on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after scoring twice in the closing minutes to defeat Italian side Atalanta 2-0 in the UEFA Conference League.
Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare broke the deadlock in the 87th minute before youngster Abdellah Ouazane sealed the victory in stoppage time at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam.
The result gave Ajax their first points of the Conference League campaign after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Croatian side Hajduk Split in their opening match.
Ajax head coach Míchel Sánchez made changes to his starting lineup following the team’s 5-2 Eredivisie victory over FC Groningen.
Defender Youri Baas returned to the starting eleven, while Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo was selected ahead of Tolu Arokodare.
The Dutch side almost opened the scoring after just five minutes when Lucas Rosa’s deflected shot struck the post before Atalanta’s defenders cleared the danger.
Ajax continued to create opportunities, with Rosa playing a key role in their attacking moves.
The right-back later delivered a pass to Leonardo inside the penalty area, but the Brazilian sent his effort narrowly wide.
Despite their attacking efforts, Ajax could not find a breakthrough before halftime, leaving the match goalless.
Ajax maintained their attacking approach after the break and nearly took the lead through German midfielder Julian Brandt.
Rosa delivered another dangerous cross into the penalty area, finding Brandt unmarked, but his header went wide.
Atalanta gradually grew into the match as Ajax began to lose some momentum.
The Italian visitors threatened through Nicola Zalewski but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities against the home side.
With the match approaching its final stages, a goalless draw appeared increasingly likely.
Míchel’s decision to introduce Tolu Arokodare in place of Leonardo during the second half proved decisive.
The Nigerian striker made the breakthrough in the 87th minute after receiving a long pass from defender Youri Baas.
Arokodare got the better of Atalanta defender Relja Orbic before calmly finishing past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.
The goal sparked celebrations among the Ajax supporters, who had watched their team struggle to convert several earlier chances.
It also rewarded Ajax for maintaining pressure against an experienced Italian opponent.
Ajax completed their victory in the third minute of stoppage time through substitute Abdellah Ouazane.
The young winger produced an impressive individual move, dribbling past Atalanta defender Raoul Bellanova before firing a powerful shot from a tight angle.
His effort struck the underside of the crossbar before entering the net, making the score 2-0.
The spectacular finish secured all three points for Ajax and ended Atalanta’s hopes of a late comeback.
Both Ajax goals came from substitutes, highlighting the impact of Míchel’s second-half changes.
The victory was particularly important for Ajax after their disappointing European opener against Hajduk Split on October 15.
Ajax had lost 2-1 in Croatia, increasing pressure on the Amsterdam club to respond in their next Conference League fixture.
Atalanta entered the competition with considerable European experience, having regularly featured in the UEFA Champions League in recent seasons.
However, Ajax produced a disciplined performance and eventually found the attacking quality needed to secure victory.
The win gives the Dutch club renewed confidence as they continue their European campaign.
Ajax will now look to build on the result in their remaining Conference League fixtures as they aim to progress to the knockout stages.
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