Ajax thrashed Vojvodina 4-1 in the Conference League second qualifying round first leg, with Klaassen, Berghuis, Gloukh and Abdalla scoring in Novi Sad.
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Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Ajax needed just 180 seconds to break the deadlock. Mickaël Godts drove down the left and fired a low cross into the box; Kasper Dolberg cleverly turned his marker and laid the ball off for Davy Klaassen (3'), who swept home from close range for his trademark early-season goal. It was the 31-year-old's fourth goal in his last five starts in European qualifiers dating back to 2024.
Vojvodina weathered the storm and grew into the half. Their reward came in the 28th minute when Petar Sukacev — a 20-year-old midfielder — rose unchallenged to meet Lucas Barros's floated cross and planted a header beyond Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Paas. The equaliser was Sukacev's first goal in European competition.
Ajax restored their lead before half-time through Steven Berghuis (37'). A cleared corner fell to the Dutch winger 20 yards out; he shifted the ball onto his left foot and drilled a low shot through a crowded penalty area that goalkeeper Filip Rozić could not keep out. The goal was Berghuis's third direct contribution (two goals, one assist) across his last four Conference League appearances.
The turning point
Vojvodina started the second half brightly, with Lazar Ranđelović forcing a save from Paas inside the opening 50 seconds. But Ajax's response was decisive. Oscar Gloukh (52') collected Godts's pass on the edge of the box, took a composed touch to create space, and curled a left-footed finish into the far corner to make it 1-3. The goal came just six minutes into the second half and effectively ended the contest, silencing the home crowd of 15,000 at the newly renovated Karađorđe Stadium.
Substitute Mohamed Abdalla (90+3') added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, latching onto Ayoub Ouazane's clever through-ball and finishing calmly past Rozić for his first Ajax goal. The 20-year-old Egyptian had been on the pitch for barely three minutes.
Key performers
- Davy Klaassen (Ajax): Scored inside three minutes and captained the side with typical authority. His late substitution (72') was precautionary with the tie effectively settled.
- Steven Berghuis (Ajax): A goal, constant threat from the right flank, and three key passes. His composure in traffic for the second goal was match-defining.
- Oscar Gloukh (Ajax): The Israeli playmaker was the creative fulcrum in the second half, setting up chances and scoring the crucial third goal. His link-up with Godts down the left was Ajax's most dangerous route.
- Petar Sukacev (Vojvodina): The 20-year-old Serbian midfielder was his side's brightest spark, scoring the equaliser with a well-taken header and working hard to disrupt Ajax's rhythm.
Player of the match: Steven Berghuis
By the numbers — interpreted
Ajax's 66% possession and 17 shots (nine on target) to Vojvodina's nine (four on target) tell the story of a game the visitors controlled after the opening 20-minute spell. The 1.96 xG Ajax generated — versus Vojvodina's 1.12 — reflects the quality of chances they created, particularly from open play down both flanks. Berghuis and Godts combined for five shots and three key passes between them. Vojvodina's three yellow cards (Tanjga 19', Mulahusejnović 64', Barros 84') underscored their struggle to contain Ajax's movement without fouling.
What it means
Ajax take a commanding 4-1 lead into the second leg at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday 30 July. The Eredivisie side are heavy favourites to progress to the third qualifying round, where Slovan Bratislava or CSKA 1948 Sofia await. For Vojvodina, the mountain is steep: they need to win by at least three clear goals in Amsterdam to force extra time. The Serbian SuperLiga side have not won away in European competition since 2022.
Verdict
Ajax manager Francesco Farioli will be pleased with the ruthlessness of his side's finishing, less so with the defensive lapse that gifted Vojvodina their equaliser. The three-goal cushion allows rotation in the second leg, but the attacking fluency — particularly through Gloukh and Godts — is a promising sign for the campaign ahead. Vojvodina competed gamely but were outclassed by a side with superior quality in the final third.
Match Events
Vojvodina and Ajax have met 2 times — Vojvodina won 0, Ajax won 2, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2024. Ajax leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 2 meetings. A combined 5 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.50 per match (1 for the home side, 4 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 1 match (50%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 1 game (50%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 1–3 in 2024.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 23 Jul 2026