Ajax Breaks Through: First Win Lifts a Turbulent Champions League Night

Match Recap

Ajax, four-time European champions, secured their first win of the season in the Champions League by beating host Qarabag 4-2 on Wednesday in the sixth match of the group stage.

The Dutch giant, who finished second to Eindhoven last season, has struggled this term after five continental losses and sitting 14 points behind the league leaders after 15 rounds, but they breathed relief away from home.

It looked like Ajax would suffer a sixth defeat, twice falling behind — first Camilo Durán in the 10th minute, then Matheus Silva in the 47th — but both times they struck back with Kasper Dolberg at 39 and Oscar Gloukh at 79, before Danish teammate Anton Gaï set up Dolberg at 83 and Gloukh sealed a fourth at 90.

The Dutch side snapped their unwanted streak, moving up to 33rd place temporarily, and at least six points clear of the 24th spot that would secure a place in the knockout round playoff.

Meanwhile, Qarabag, who had drawn Chelsea 2-2 in the fourth match, suffered their third defeat and remained on seven points.

Villarreal then tasted a sixth defeat in the competition, going down 2-3 at home to Copenhagen in stoppage time. Villarreal had drawn first blood through a late first-half effort, but Copenhagen answered with three late strikes, sealing the win and complicating Villarreal’s bid for the knockout stage.

This victory is Copenhagen's second win, lifting their tally to seven points.

Ajax’s win adds a spark to a season that needed one, and the group remains alive with several teams still in the hunt for qualification. Punchlines aside, the night proved that resilience can still turn the tide on a tricky European evening.

Punchline: If defending were an Olympic sport, Villarreal would win the gold for being well framed but barely attended. Punchline 2: Ajax finally found the net’s back door—turns out even their Wi‑Fi runs faster than their defense sometimes.