Gloukh leads Ajax to the third qualifying round of the Conference League with a pinpoint hat-trick | Goal.com
Ajax booked their place in the third qualifying round of the Conference League in convincing fashion on Thursday evening. The Amsterdam side beat FK Vojvodina 4-1 at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, having already won by the same scoreline a week earlier in Serbia. Oscar Gloukh hit a hat-trick, and Ajax will now face Irish side Shelbourne over two legs in the next round.
Míchel stuck with the same starting XI he picked for the first leg. Brazilian signings Caio Henrique and Marcos Leonardo again started on the bench, while Kasper Dolberg, Steven Berghuis and Mika Godts led the attack.
From kick-off, Ajax took control and carved out their first big chance after ten minutes. Godts fired narrowly over, before Dolberg and Davy Klaassen also threatened. The home side controlled the game but could not find a breakthrough for long spells.
As the first half wore on, Ajax turned the screw. Klaassen dragged wide after a clever pass from Berghuis, then Godts almost opened the scoring with a superb lob that came back off the crossbar. Vojvodina focused on defending and waited for the occasional counter-attack.
Then the visitors struck five minutes before half-time. Djordje Crnomarkovic turned a corner past Maarten Paes to hand the Serbian side a surprise 0-1 lead. Ajax hit back quickly, though, and just before the break Klaassen headed in a Berghuis corner that Youri Regeer had flicked on: 1-1.
Immediately after the restart, Ajax finally turned their dominance into goals. In the 53rd minute, Gloukh emphatically finished a move involving Godts, and five minutes later he struck again. After combining with Berghuis, the Israeli bent a magnificent outside-of-the-right-foot effort into the far corner: 3-1.
Later on, Míchel sent on Caio Henrique, Jorthy Mokio and Marcos Leonardo. For Leonardo, it was his official debut in an Ajax shirt. Oliver Edvardsen also came on and quickly left his mark on the game.
The Norwegian winger set up Amsterdam's fourth goal in the 71st minute. His low cross found Gloukh, who fired home powerfully to complete his hat-trick. Soon after, the standout performer left the pitch to a standing ovation.
Deep into stoppage time, debutant Marcos Leonardo spurned a huge chance when he shot wide from close range.
Ajax still wrapped up a convincing 4-1 win over Vojvodina and will face Irish side Shelbourne in the third qualifying round of the Conference League.
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