Europa Conference League knockout round play-off first legs: Ajax fight back, Sturm Graz hit four
Thursday, February 15, 2024
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Ajax launched a dramatic comeback to avoid a surprise defeat while Sturm Graz were the big winners in the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off first legs.
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Seven of the eight ties remain finely poised after the opening night of UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-offs.
Captain Steven Berghuis lobbed the leveller deep in added time as Ajax rescued a draw against their Norwegian guests. Albert Grønbæk struck twice for Bodø/Glimt, wrong-footing his marker to find the bottom corner on 16 minutes, then teaming up with Håkon Evjen to extend the lead shortly after the hour. However, the tide turned in added time, Branco van den Boomen finishing from the spot after Odin Bjørtuft's dismissal for a foul on Brian Brobbey to set the stage for Berghuis's equaliser.
Key stat: Ajax are still without a win in their last seven UEFA competition knockout phase matches (D4 L3).
Union SG recovered from two goals down to deny Frankfurt victory in Brussels. Fares Chaibi’s close-range strike gave the visitors an early lead and Sasa Kalajdzic doubled the advantage seven minutes later, but Mathias Rasmussen cut the arrears before half-time. Gustaf Nilsson's delicate finish completed the comeback, before Union's Charles Vanhoutte was sent off for two yellows with 12 minutes left.
Key stat: Union SG have only failed to score in one of their last 11 UEFA competition home matches.
Bruno Petković's second-half penalty earned the Croatian champions a narrow win in Seville. Clear-cut openings were scarce until Betis defender Chadi Riad was penalised for handling inside his box in the second half, giving the visitors a chance to break the deadlock from the spot. Petković powered his effort past goalkeeper Rui Silva for the game's only goal – although Betis forward Willian José almost restored parity late on when he struck the post with a curling free-kick.
Key stat: The visitors had lost their previous seven UEFA competition matches away from home against Spanish teams.
Ayoub El Kaabi bundled in an 83rd-minute winner from Rodinei’s cross as José Luis Mendilibar’s debut as Olympiacos coach ended on a high note. The visitors thought they had opened the scoring after barely 70 seconds, but Barnabás Varga's header was ruled out. Thrylos struggled to carve out good chances in response, though Dénes Dibusz saved brilliantly from David Carmo. However, a series of second-half substitutions heralded a powerful finish from the home side.
Key stat: El Kaabi has scored six goals in his last five appearances at home for Olympiacos in UEFA competition.
What next?
The second legs take place a week after the first, on 22 February. Winners of the ties earn a place in the round of 16 draw on 23 February, where they will be unseeded.
The seeded teams are Aston Villa (ENG), Club Brugge (BEL), Fenerbahçe (TUR), Fiorentina (ITA), LOSC Lille (FRA), Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR), PAOK (GRE), Viktoria Plzeň (CZE).
Best of the rest
• Sturm Graz, who successfully navigated a UEFA group stage for the first time, put themselves on course for the last 16 with a commanding 4-1 home success against Slovan Bratislava.
• Molde were almost pegged back by Legia despite racing into a 3-0 lead inside 24 minutes thanks to Fredrik Gulbrandsen's double. Josué's volley and a Rafał Augustyniak header in the space of eight second-half minutes set up a tense finish, but the hosts held on.
• Seven of the eight fixtures were either drawn or settled by a single-goal margin.
What are the knockout round play-offs?
Sixteen teams are involved in the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs: the eight runners-up from the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage and the eight third-placed teams from the UEFA Europa League group stage.
Ties are played over two legs and will conclude on Thursday 22 February; the away goals rule has been abolished. The eight winners advance to the round of 16 draw on Friday 23 February (the eight group winners have already qualified for this); the eight play-off losers will no longer be involved in 2023/24 European competition.
