AFC Ajax qualified for the UEFA Conference League group stage on Thursday. The Amsterdam side beat FC Sion 5-3 at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, with Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare making his first start and scoring twice.
The team managed by Míchel Sánchez made a flying start. Youri Baas scored after less than a minute, converting a rebound from a saved header. The coach had selected Arokodare up front ahead of Marcus Leonardo and Kasper Dolberg.
Sion fought back, however. Winsley Boteli scored twice before half-time to put the Swiss visitors 2-1 ahead. Ajax responded before the break. Davy Klaassen equalised for his twentieth European goal for the club. Shortly after, Arokodare fired home from a tight angle to make it 3-2.
Arokodare impresses
After the interval, the striker on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers remained dangerous. He struck the crossbar with a fine effort and soon added his second goal. Following a move involving Julian Brandt and Abdellah Ouazane, Arokodare applied the finish. He received a standing ovation when substituted in the 64th minute.
Substitute Oliver Edvardsen made it 5-2 in the 55th minute. A later goal from the Norwegian was disallowed. Sion pulled one back to 5-3 through a third goal from Boteli, but the result was long secure. The 9-5 aggregate victory was more than enough.
Míchel Sánchez will be concerned about conceding three goals. The Spanish manager also saw his team let in two in the first leg in Switzerland. Ajax had previously eliminated FK Vojvodina and Shelbourne FC in this qualifying round.
This is the first time Ajax will be active in the Conference League before the winter break. The draw for the group stage takes place on Friday in Nyon. Ajax can review the squad options on the squad page. The full European schedule is on the fixtures list.
Arokodare now has three goals and two assists in five appearances for Ajax. The 25-year-old Nigerian looks set to play a significant role in the Amsterdam attack this season. The striker expressed satisfaction with his performance after the match, emphasising the importance of the team result. The game attracted a full house at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, with fans roaring the team to victory. Ajax's technical staff will assess player fitness in the coming days following this intensive European week.
