UEFA Europa League Tactical Analysis: How Union SG pushed Ajax to their limit
Friday, February 21, 2025
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UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria analyses Ajax's topsy-turvy UEFA Europa League knockout round play-off decider against Union SG.
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Ajax were in a strong position against Union SG following a 2-0 first-leg away victory in Belgium, yet the tie was turned on its head within minutes at the start of the play-off second leg.
UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria analyses what happened as both sides tried to secure a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 – first Union SG's flying start and then Ajax's firm defence.
Union SG pressure
"Union SG surprised Ajax from the start," said Faria of the first half, when any notions of a comfortable evening for Ajax were blown away. "I saw logic in Ajax's formation, but they were as surprised as I was at Union SG's approach to the game – that's understandable if you've won the first leg 2-0 away. Union SG pressed, had a clear plan, limited Ajax's build-up, took a 2-0 lead and put the ball in the net another time, though that effort was disallowed for offside."
Union SG's forceful press is apparent from the first part of the video, a front-footed man-for-man tactic as they try to turn every press into an opportunity to create. The second clip shows how they threatened after winning the ball in a sequence that ends with them earning a free-kick that lead to opening goal.
"It's a collective tactical effort," said Faria of the Belgian side's first-half display. "You can see their determined attitude, desire and belief to get back into the tie as they hunt the ball and press aggressively. The best moment to recover the ball is immediately after losing it since the opposition is still trying to get stability and Union SG applied this concept well. Even their penalty came from jumping on the loose ball and being first to second balls. Their well-synchronised approach paid off with goals."
Ajax outnumbered but obstinate
Not only did Union SG score twice to level the tie through Kevin Mac Allister and Promise David, but Ajax were reduced to ten men from the 25th minute following Davy Klaassen's goal-line handball which led to a penalty and David's goal. In the second video, we see how Ajax dug in, reorganising their defensive shape and trying to maintain a 1-5-3-1 formation without the ball as Union SG went for the winner.
"Ajax defended well," was Faria's judgement of the home team, who faced 34 shots and 12 corners; Ajax, by contrast, had seven shots and took one corner. Staying compact to cope with Union SG's extra man, they minimised the visitors' threat and by the end of extra time, their ten men had withstood over 90 minutes without conceding a third goal. Faria said: "It is very important to be tactically efficient, resilient and mentally strong in situations where you have a player less. We saw some heroic defending of their box by Ajax as they dealt with crosses."
Traoré's impact
"I thought Ajax were done and going out when trailing 2-0," added Faria, "but Bertrand Traoré was the game-changer – him and the collective sacrifices Ajax made without the ball."
A half-time substitute, Traoré, as we see in the third video, became the target player for Ajax to play balls to. With the Frenchman up front, Ajax made tweaks to play more directly towards him. After all, they had lost their two-goal advantage and now needed to score to progress.
"I believe Ajax were surprised by Union SG's pressure in the first half and took a while to adapt," said Faria. "But in the second half, Traoré become the option to get out when they regained ball possession. Teams that are outnumbered normally drop too deep defensively and it becomes hard to get out from there but Traoré, with his individual qualities, allowed Ajax a better chance of doing it by holding the ball or running into space and using his 1vs1 qualities."
Faria continued: "Ajax fought, were more aggressive in the second half and gave everything in the final minutes of normal time since they knew that extra time would favour Union SG's 11 men. It was difficult and you don't think clearly when fatigued. Ajax were flat and the options to progress the ball weren't always clear after winning it since they had a player less and went to a 5-3-1 – very different from the Ajax 4-3-3 we know."
Yet though extra time came, in the end Traoré's dribble earned the penalty with which they regained the lead on aggregate and secured their place in the last 16 – a reward which, as Faria concluded, "they had fought hard and intelligently for".
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