Ajax began its Conference League campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Hajduk Split at the Poljud Stadium in Croatia, marking the Croatian club’s first victory in a European main tournament in 16 years, nos.nl reported. The Amsterdam side struggled in the first half and failed to capitalize on early chances, leaving manager Míchel’s team with a defeat after the opening fixture.
Missed Chances and First-Half Struggles in Split
Ajax missed an early opportunity to take control of the match when striker Tolu Arokodare broke free following a long ball past defender Dennis Hadzikadunic, according to nos.nl. Arokodare hesitated too long, allowing Hadzikadunic to recover and block the shot. at5.nl reported that this wasted chance proved to be Ajax’s only scoring opportunity of a poor first half. Hajduk Split capitalized on the visitors’ lack of rhythm in the 37th minute. Midfielder Marin Soticek intercepted a loose pass from debutant Jofre Torents, spun away from Davy Klaassen, and fed Abdoulie Sanyang, who fired past doelman André Ter Stegen to make it 1-0.
Hajduk Split vs Ajax — the HNL leaders put their home record on the line at PoljudPreview · UEFA Conference League · League Phase, Matchday 1 · Thursday 15 October 2026The name on the away shirt carries more weight in Europe, but the form arriving at Stadion Poljud belongs to…
Quick Response Followed by Decisive Defensive Errors
Ajax returned from the interval with increased urgency and equalized eight minutes into the second half. Captain Davy Klaassen controlled a cross from Thilo Kehrer and drove a high shot into the net to level the score at 1-1, nos.nl reported. The parity lasted only three minutes before defensive lapses handed the lead back to the hosts. Torrents delivered another short backpass that Youri Baas could not rescue, allowing striker Michele Sego to collect the ball and square it for Soticek to score his second of the night, restoring a 2-1 advantage for Hajduk Split.
Flares and Smoke Delay Second-Half Proceedings
Play was halted with roughly fifteen minutes remaining when the home supporters belonging to the ‘Torcida’ fan club ignited numerous flares, generating thick smoke that enveloped the Poljud Stadium, as reported by at5.nl. The temporary suspension forced both teams off the pitch for nearly fifteen minutes until visibility cleared. Once the match resumed, Ajax pushed for an equalizer through late substitutes, including Oscar Gloukh, whose immediate effort struck the crossbar, and defender Aaron Bouwman, who sent a late close-range opportunity high over the target.
Upcoming Fixtures in the European Campaign
Ajax returns to the Johan Cruijff Arena next week to host Italian side Atalanta, another pre-tournament favorite for the Conference League title, nos.nl confirmed. Following that home fixture, the Dutch club faces upcoming matches against FC Midtjylland, Sint-Truiden, and Getafe.
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