Arokodare Leads Ajax to Late Victory as Atalanta Collapse in Amsterdam

Ajax produced a dramatic late show at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Thursday night, defeating Atalanta 2-0 in the UEFA Conference League after two goals in the closing stages of the contest.

For much of the evening, the Amsterdam side had to deal with the frustration of controlling the match without finding the breakthrough. Ajax dominated possession, created more attempts and repeatedly pushed Atalanta deeper into their own half, but the visitors managed to survive wave after wave of pressure.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 87th minute when Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare found the back of the net. Abdellah Ouazane then completed the victory deep into stoppage time, with Arokodare turning from goalscorer into provider as Ajax punished Atalanta in the final moments.

The result gave Ajax their first Conference League victory of the campaign after they had suffered a 2-1 defeat against Hajduk Split in their opening league-phase fixture. UEFA’s match information lists Ajax on three points after the victory, while Atalanta remained on three points after their opening win.

Ajax dominate but fail to score in the first half

Ajax started the match with a clear intention to take control, and the home side immediately looked more comfortable in possession.

The Dutch club moved the ball patiently across the pitch, attempting to pull Atalanta’s defensive structure apart and create spaces around the penalty area. Their early pressure almost produced a reward when Lucas Rosa saw a deflected effort hit the post with Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi beaten.

It was an early warning for the Italian side and an indication of the attacking pressure Ajax would maintain throughout the night.

Atalanta, however, were not simply spectators. Gianluca Scamacca came close with a header from a corner, while Ajax also had the ball in the net through Davy Klaassen, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

The first half continued in that pattern. Ajax generally had the initiative, but Atalanta remained organised enough to prevent their opponents from creating a constant stream of clear-cut chances.

Owen Wijndal tried his luck from distance, while Oscar Gloukh forced Carnesecchi into action after a promising individual move. At the other end, Gianluca Gaetano had an opportunity shortly before the interval but sent his effort over the crossbar.

Neither side could break the deadlock before half-time, leaving Ajax with plenty of possession but nothing to show for their efforts.

Ajax continue to push after the break

The second half followed a similar pattern, although the home side increased the intensity of their attacks.

Julian Brandt came close shortly after the restart, but Carnesecchi stood firm to keep Atalanta level. The goalkeeper was then called upon again to deal with another effort from Lucas Rosa.

Ajax continued to dominate the ball, and the statistics highlighted their control.

The home side finished with 61 per cent possession compared with Atalanta’s 39 per cent. Ajax also registered 21 total shots, including seven on target, while Atalanta had 16 attempts and only one shot on target according to the match data shown after the final whistle.

Those numbers illustrated the difference between the two teams on the night. Atalanta were capable of threatening when they found space, but Ajax were the side doing most of the attacking.

The problem for Ajax was that possession and pressure were not immediately translating into goals.

That forced the home side’s coaching staff to look towards the bench for another solution.

Arokodare changes the game

One of the most important decisions of the evening was the introduction of Tolu Arokodare.

The Nigerian striker came onto the pitch in the 66th minute, replacing Marcos Leonardo, and his presence immediately gave Ajax a different attacking option.

Arokodare provided greater physicality in the final third and gave Atalanta’s defenders another problem to deal with. Rather than relying exclusively on combinations around the edge of the box, Ajax could now look for the Nigerian forward with direct passes and crosses.

His first major opportunity did not result in a goal. After receiving a lay-off from Brandt, Arokodare was unable to make clean contact with his first-time attempt.

However, he would not have to wait much longer.

With the match heading towards another frustrating draw, Ajax finally found the opening they had been searching for.

In the 87th minute, Youri Baas delivered a long ball over the top of the Atalanta defence. Arokodare used his strength to win the duel, got himself into a dangerous position and calmly finished past Carnesecchi to put Ajax ahead.

The goal changed the entire atmosphere inside the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

After spending most of the night looking for a breakthrough, Ajax suddenly had the advantage with only a few minutes remaining.

For Atalanta, it was a devastating moment. The visitors had managed to stay in the game despite spending long periods under pressure, but one defensive lapse was enough to leave them chasing the match.

Ouazane seals the victory

Atalanta attempted to respond, but Ajax were not finished.

The Dutch side continued to attack, and the decision to bring Abdellah Ouazane onto the pitch also proved decisive.

The young Ajax player had entered the match in the 62nd minute, replacing Oscar Gloukh, and he produced one of the defining moments of the contest in stoppage time.

In the third minute of added time, Ouazane drove into the Atalanta penalty area from the left before producing a superb finish from a difficult angle.

The shot flew into the high centre of the goal, leaving Carnesecchi with little chance of stopping it.

The goal made it 2-0 and effectively ended Atalanta’s hopes of taking anything from Amsterdam.

There was also a significant contribution from Arokodare once again. After scoring the opener, the Nigerian striker provided the assist for Ouazane’s goal, completing a remarkable cameo from the bench.

Ajax had waited until the closing stages to make their dominance count, but once the first goal arrived, the second followed quickly.

The final whistle confirmed a deserved 2-0 victory for the hosts. (INSOCCER)

Ajax’s patience finally pays off

The most impressive aspect of Ajax’s performance was their ability to remain patient.

It would have been easy for frustration to creep into their play after chance after chance failed to produce a goal. Instead, they continued to control possession and search for openings.

The 61 per cent possession figure reflected Ajax’s authority, while their seven shots on target compared with Atalanta’s single effort showed how much more frequently the hosts tested the opposing goalkeeper.

Ajax also registered eight corners during the game, demonstrating the sustained pressure they applied around the Atalanta penalty area.

However, the match also highlighted an area the Dutch side will want to improve.

Creating opportunities is only part of the job. Ajax needed 87 minutes to turn their dominance into a goal, and against a more clinical opponent, such a delay could have proved costly.

Their inability to convert earlier opportunities left the door open for Atalanta for most of the match.

Nevertheless, the late response was exactly what Ajax needed.

The victory ended a difficult European start and provided a significant confidence boost ahead of their next Conference League assignment.

Atalanta left to rue missed opportunities

From Atalanta’s perspective, the defeat will be particularly frustrating because they remained competitive for most of the match.

They defended for long stretches and prevented Ajax from finding a breakthrough until the final few minutes.

There were also moments when Atalanta threatened to take advantage of Ajax’s attacking commitment.

However, their lack of efficiency in the final third ultimately cost them.

The visitors managed only one shot on target, despite producing 16 attempts overall. That statistic tells the story of a team that was able to reach dangerous areas but struggled to turn those situations into genuine tests for the Ajax goalkeeper.

Once Arokodare scored, Atalanta were forced to take more risks, and that created even more space for Ajax to exploit.

Ouazane’s second goal was the final punishment.

The defeat means Atalanta now have to respond quickly in the next round of the competition, particularly after their encouraging start to the league phase.

Man of the Match: Tolu Arokodare

Tolu Arokodare was the standout performer for Ajax and deserves the Man of the Match award for his decisive contribution.

The Nigerian did not even start the game, but his impact from the bench completely changed the contest.

Arokodare entered in the 66th minute and provided Ajax with the physical presence they had been missing in the attacking third.

His biggest contribution came in the 87th minute when he scored the opening goal.

The finish itself demonstrated composure under pressure. With the game approaching its conclusion and Ajax desperate for a breakthrough, Arokodare kept his focus and converted the opportunity to give his team the lead.

But his night did not end there.

Just six minutes later, he became the provider for Ajax’s second goal. Arokodare’s involvement in Ouazane’s finish meant he directly contributed to both goals that decided the match.

That is the kind of substitute appearance coaches dream of.

He entered the pitch with Ajax still searching for a goal and left a decisive mark on the result.

His performance was also important on a personal level. The Nigerian forward continues to demonstrate that he can provide Ajax with an alternative attacking threat, particularly when matches become physical and opponents begin to tire.

His strength, movement and willingness to attack the space behind defenders caused problems for Atalanta late in the game.

While Lucas Rosa was also one of Ajax’s most impressive performers during the match and received strong statistical recognition, Arokodare’s direct involvement in both goals makes him the natural Man of the Match choice for NewsVaultHQ. Sofascore, for example, highlighted Rosa as the standout statistically, but the decisive contribution from Arokodare was impossible to overlook.

A major confidence boost for Ajax

The victory could prove important for Ajax beyond the three points.

After losing their opening Conference League fixture, another disappointing result would have increased pressure on the team.

Instead, they produced a controlled performance and showed the ability to keep pushing even when the breakthrough refused to arrive.

The late goals also demonstrated the value of Ajax’s squad depth.

Arokodare and Ouazane both came off the bench and combined to decide the match, showing that the Amsterdam club can find solutions beyond their starting XI.

For manager Michel Sanchez, that will be one of the biggest positives to take from the evening.

Ajax still have areas to improve, particularly their finishing, but the foundation of the performance was encouraging.

They controlled the ball, created more opportunities and eventually found the quality required to punish Atalanta.

What comes next for Ajax?

The result gives Ajax three points from their opening two Conference League matches and puts them back on track in the competition.

Their next European assignment will provide another opportunity to build momentum, but the team will also need to maintain its domestic focus.

The biggest lesson from the Atalanta match is that Ajax cannot always rely on late goals to rescue matches.

Against stronger opposition, missed chances and a failure to convert possession into goals could eventually be punished.

For now, though, the Amsterdam side can celebrate a valuable European victory.

The 2-0 scoreline may suggest a comfortable result, but the reality was far more tense. Ajax had to wait until the final stages before finally breaking through, and it was their substitutes who delivered the decisive moments.

Arokodare opened the door with his 87th-minute strike before Ouazane slammed it shut three minutes into stoppage time.

It was a night that demonstrated patience, squad depth and late attacking quality.

Most importantly for Ajax, it was a night that ended with three points.

And for Arokodare, it was a performance that showed why his name will continue to attract attention whenever Ajax need a goal.