Ajax advanced to the final play-off round of the UEFA Conference League despite a lackluster 2-2 draw against Shelbourne in Dublin, securing a 5-3 aggregate victory following their 3-1 win in the first leg in Amsterdam, according to match reports from public broadcasters and sports data providers.
How Ajax Secured the Aggregate Advantage in Dublin
Entering the second leg with a two-goal cushion, Ajax controlled possession from the opening whistle at Tolka Park but struggled to convert early dominance into clear chances, according to field reports. Julian Brandt opened the scoring for the Dutch giants with a strike that deflected into the net following clever movement by veteran defender Daley Blind. Shelbourne responded quickly to level the score before Anton Gaaei restored the visitors’ advantage prior to halftime. The second half progressed largely without major incident until a late surge from the hosts. An Irish goal was initially disallowed for offside, but substitute Sean Moore eventually leveled the match at 2-2 on the night with a sharp individual effort and clean finish past the Ajax defense.
The Road Through the Qualifying Rounds
The Amsterdam club’s presence in the Conference League qualifiers stems from a difficult domestic campaign that saw the four-time European champions finish outside the Eredivisie’s primary European spots, according to historical league data. Forced to navigate the domestic play-offs under then-manager Oscar Garcia, Ajax defeated FC Groningen 2-0 and edged FC Utrecht on penalties. That survival act required a temporary relocation to Volendam for the deciding fixtures due to a concert residency at the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
In the second qualifying round, Ajax overcame Serbian side Vojvodina Novi Sad 4-1 on aggregate, powered by goals from Davy Klaassen, Steven Berghuis, Oscar Gloukh, and debutant Mohamed Abdalla in the first leg, followed by a Gloukh hat trick in Amsterdam. That set up the third-round tie against Shelbourne, where a heavy expected-goals total of 6.08 in the first leg yielded only a 3-1 home win before the 2-2 draw in Ireland.
Upcoming Play-off Fixtures Against FC Sion
Ajax now face Swiss Super League side FC Sion in the decisive play-off round for a spot in the Conference League league phase, as detailed by tournament schedules. FC Sion reached this stage after finishing fourth in Switzerland and overcoming Armenian club Noah 4-3 on aggregate in the previous qualifying round. The first leg between Ajax and FC Sion is scheduled for Thursday, August 20, with the return fixture taking place in Amsterdam on Thursday, August 27.
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