Villarreal and Ajax Clash in UEFA Champions League

Villarreal’s Lineup Changes

Manager Marcelino of Villarreal appeared to indicate that the team’s focus is primarily on the domestic league, opting for seven alterations following last weekend’s 2-0 defeat against Real Betis. Ayoze Perez, the former Newcastle forward, took center stage against Ajax, supported by Nicolas Pepe and Tani Oluwaseyi on the flanks. Interestingly, even Luiz Junior, the goalkeeper, found himself on the bench in anticipation of Saturday’s match against Real Madrid.

Ajax’s Tactical Adjustments

On the other side, Ajax’s interim coach Fred Grim also made adjustments, featuring Aaron Bouwman and the returning Youri Baas as the core of the defense. In midfield, young player Jorthy Mokio was preferred over fellow young talent Sean Steur.

Match Overview

Despite having less possession early on, Villarreal’s counter-attacking style posed the greater threat, with attempts from Tani Oluwaseyi, Alberto Moleiro, and Thomas Partey putting Ajax goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros to the test, particularly a standout save by the Czech in the 30th minute.

Ajax, boasting a history of four Europa Cup I/UEFA Champions League victories, struggled to make their mark in the first half hour, with only right-back Anton Gaaei managing a feeble shot directed at Arnau Tenas’s goal. Owen Wijndal, playing at left-back, came close to scoring next, but Tenas’s firm parry kept the scoreline intact.

Key Moments of the Match

The deadlock was finally broken just four minutes into the second half. Tani Oluwaseyi intercepted a long pass that evaded defender Aaron Bouwman, allowing the Canadian winger a clear opportunity to fire the ball into the left corner past Jaros.

The game was briefly halted due to a medical emergency involving a steward, who was subsequently taken away on a stretcher but reported to be in stable condition.

In a surprising turn, Ajax equalized when Oscar Gloukh’s inswinging free-kick managed to evade everyone, including a scrambling Arnau Ternas. Shortly afterward, Gloukh had the chance to give Ajax a lead, evading Ternas but losing control just before a potential tap-in.

With only a minute remaining, Oliver Edvardsen, seeking a new adventure away from Ajax, seized the moment and expertly placed the ball into Ternas’s bottom corner, securing a vital away win for Ajax.

Conclusion

Although Villarreal generated a few opportunities during the seven minutes of added time, they were unable to prevent Ajax from claiming a critical away victory in a sparsely populated La Ceramica. This triumph brings Ajax’s points tally to six, positioning them just two points away from the all-important 24th place. Conversely, Villarreal remains without a win in Europe as they look forward to their final League Phase encounter against Bayer Leverkusen. Ajax concludes their League Phase with a home match against Olympiakos on January 28.

Match Statistics

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