Ajax scored twice in three minutes to beat Atalanta 2-0

Ajax had been level until the 87th minute, then won 2-0 at home on the back of late goals and better chances than usual.

Ajax were level with Atalanta until the 87th minute. Then T. Arokodare scored from a pass by Youri Baas, and A. Ouazane added a second in the 90th minute, set up by Arokodare himself. Two goals inside three minutes at the Johan Cruijff Arena turned a tight Europa Conference League game into a 2-0 win for the home side.

Neither side lost a player to a red card, so both goals came with eleven men on each team. Atalanta had Gianluca Gaetano and Elmas and others on the pitch to the end, and Ajax had the same. The late goals were not the product of a man advantage, only of Ajax making more of their chances in the closing stages.

Ajax's expected goals, a measure of how good each chance was judged to be, came to 1.74. That is well above the 0.95 they average at home, so the chances they created were better than usual, even though the number of them was not. Ajax had 20 shots, almost exactly their normal 20.7, and 62% of the ball against an average of 63.5%.

Those two figures are ordinary for Ajax, so the story is not how much they had of the play. It is that the chances they took were of a better kind than they normally create. Their shots came from closer in, and the late goals were the reward for that.

Atalanta had 15 shots, above their usual 10.7 away from home, but the chances did not translate. Marco Carnesecchi made five saves in the Atalanta goal, and Davide Zappacosta, who won seven duels, was rated 7.7, the highest of the visitors' outfield players. Atalanta's share of the ball was 38%, far below the 61% they usually have when they play away.

Ajax were not dominant in any way the numbers would call unusual, but they did better with their chances than their own record suggests they usually do. That difference, with two late goals, is the whole story. Brandt was rated 7.5 and Baas 7.9, and the winner came from Baas's assist, which is the sort of detail a reader would miss from a final score.

Ajax had lost their only previous game in this table and sat 25th. They now have their first win. Atalanta, who had won their opening game and sat fifth, lose their first match in the table here.

Player of the matchLucas Rosa3 chances created7.9

Youri Baas1 assist7.9

Davide Zappacosta1 chance created7.7

Julian Brandt3 chances created7.5