Matchday report · UEFA Conference League
UEFA Conference League, matchday 3: Ajax win 6-1 at FC Midtjylland
The third act of this Conference League campaign delivered a night where the mood swung wildly. Some ties were settled with a ruthless, almost dismissive flourish, while others twisted on moments of fortune deep into the evening. It was a round that refused to settle into a single, predictable rhythm.
The UEFA Conference League produced 42 goals in eighteen matches on matchday 3, an average of 2.3 a game. The away sides took three wins, the hosts ten, and five matches ended level. Three matches finished 1-1. 18 goals came before half-time and 24 after.
The standout result
FC Midtjylland – Ajax 1-6
FC Midtjylland lost 1-6 to Ajax at MCH Arena. Arokodare scored in the 9th minute for Ajax, assisted by Gloukh. Etim found the net in the 28th for FC Midtjylland. The sides went in level at 1-1. In the 52nd minute, Arokodare scored again for Ajax, assisted by Ouazane. Wijndal struck in the 59th, assisted by Arokodare. Klaassen scored in the 67th minute, assisted by Wijndal. Gloukh found the net in the 74th, assisted by Bounida. In the 82nd minute, Marcos Leonardo scored, assisted by Gloukh.
The other matches
Aarhus – SC Braga 0-0
At Cepheus Park Randers, Aarhus drew 0-0 with SC Braga. Neither side found the net.
Atalanta – Kairat Almaty 1-1
Atalanta drew 1-1 with Kairat Almaty. In the 53rd minute, Gual scored for Kairat Almaty, assisted by Edmilson. Krstovic struck in the 82nd for Atalanta, assisted by Obric.
FK Crvena Zvezda – Inter Club d'Escaldes 2-1
FK Crvena Zvezda beat Inter Club d'Escaldes 2-1 at Stadium Rajko Mitić. Arellano struck in the 62nd for Inter Club d'Escaldes, assisted by Pochettino. Lucic scored in the 80th minute for FK Crvena Zvezda, assisted by Krunic. An own goal by Diaz in the 90th minute counted for FK Crvena Zvezda.
Lincoln Red Imps FC – HNK Hajduk Split 1-0
At Europa Sports Park, Lincoln Red Imps FC beat HNK Hajduk Split 1-0. An own goal by Hadzikadunic in the 89th minute counted for Lincoln Red Imps FC.
Trabzonspor – SC Freiburg 0-1
Trabzonspor lost 0-1 to SC Freiburg. Kubler found the net in the 14th for SC Freiburg.
FC Thun – Heart Of Midlothian 3-1
FC Thun beat Heart Of Midlothian 3-1 at Stockhorn Arena. An own goal by McCart in the 22nd minute counted for FC Thun. Labeau struck in the 34th for FC Thun. FC Thun took a 2-0 lead into half-time. Dursun scored in the 57th minute for FC Thun, assisted by Reichmuth. Findlay found the net in the 82nd for Heart Of Midlothian, assisted by Altena.
KuPS – Gent 0-0
At Tammela Stadium, KuPS drew 0-0 with Gent. Neither side found the net.
Mjallby AIF – Borac Banja Luka 2-0
Mjallby AIF beat Borac Banja Luka 2-0. Bergstrom scored in the 54th minute for Mjallby AIF. Enggaard found the net in the 88th, assisted by Samuelsen.
Monaco – FC Nordsjaelland 2-0
Monaco beat FC Nordsjaelland 2-0 at Stade Louis II. Detourbet found the net in the 33rd for Monaco, assisted by Minamino. Monaco led 1-0 at the break. In the 90th minute, Abline scored for Monaco, assisted by Detourbet.
FC Copenhagen – FC Iberia 1999 2-1
At Parken, FC Copenhagen beat FC Iberia 1999 2-1. Elyounoussi converted a penalty in the 19th minute for FC Copenhagen. An own goal by Selimovic in the 22nd minute counted for FC Copenhagen. Dzagania scored in the 30th minute for FC Iberia 1999.
Twente – Pafos 3-1
Twente beat Pafos 3-1. Lele struck in the 39th for Pafos. Twente trailed 0-1 at the break. Nijstad scored in the 62nd minute for Twente, assisted by Weidmann. Orjasaeter found the net in the 76th, assisted by Taha. In the 82nd minute, Weidmann scored, assisted by van den Belt.
Getafe – Brighton 0-1
Getafe lost 0-1 to Brighton at Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. Yalcouye scored in the 64th minute for Brighton, assisted by Costinha.
FC Lugano – Kauno Žalgiris 3-0
At AIL Arena, FC Lugano beat Kauno Žalgiris 3-0. Cimignani found the net in the 11th for FC Lugano, assisted by Dos Santos. In the 24th minute, Alioski scored. Dos Santos struck in the 32nd, assisted by Karimov.
Panathinaikos – CSKA Sofia 2-1
Panathinaikos beat CSKA Sofia 2-1. In the 41st minute, Calabria scored for Panathinaikos, assisted by Taborda. Almeida struck in the 44th for CSKA Sofia, assisted by Sensi. The sides went in level at 1-1. Taborda scored in the 68th minute for Panathinaikos, assisted by Tetteh.
Universitatea Craiova – Egnatia Rrogozhinë 2-0
Universitatea Craiova beat Egnatia Rrogozhinë 2-0 at Stadionul Ion Oblemenco. Cicaldau struck in the 24th for Universitatea Craiova. Bancu scored in the 32nd minute, assisted by Mora.
Sint-Truiden – Brann 1-1
At Stayen, Sint-Truiden drew 1-1 with Brann. Ishiwatari scored in the 48th minute for Sint-Truiden. Mathisen found the net in the 79th for Brann, assisted by Ingason.
Riga – FK Jablonec 1-1
Riga drew 1-1 with FK Jablonec. Reginaldo Ramires converted a penalty in the 34th minute for Riga. Riga led 1-0 at the break. In the 49th minute, Nebyla scored for FK Jablonec, assisted by Holly.
For many, the outcome was defined by the weight of expectation and the cruelty of a single lapse. In other corners, a shared point felt like a quiet, hard-earned victory, a testament to stubborn resistance. The competition's arc feels no clearer, its narrative still a tangled and beautiful mess of ambition and apprehension.
Results and scorers
- FC Midtjylland 1-6 Ajax — Arokodare (Ajax, 9'); Etim (FC Midtjylland, 28'); Arokodare (Ajax, 52'); Wijndal (Ajax, 59'); Klaassen (Ajax, 67'); Gloukh (Ajax, 74'); Marcos Leonardo (Ajax, 82'); red card: Kjell Wätjen (FC Midtjylland, 43')
- Aarhus 0-0 SC Braga
- Atalanta 1-1 Kairat Almaty — Gual (Kairat Almaty, 53'); Krstovic (Atalanta, 82')
- FK Crvena Zvezda 2-1 Inter Club d'Escaldes — Arellano (Inter Club d'Escaldes, 62'); Lucic (FK Crvena Zvezda, 80'); Diaz (FK Crvena Zvezda, 90', own goal); red card: Aleksandar Katai (FK Crvena Zvezda, 35'); red card: Domi Berlanga (Inter Club d'Escaldes, 51')
- Lincoln Red Imps FC 1-0 HNK Hajduk Split — Hadzikadunic (Lincoln Red Imps FC, 89', own goal)
- Trabzonspor 0-1 SC Freiburg — Kubler (SC Freiburg, 14')
- FC Thun 3-1 Heart Of Midlothian — McCart (FC Thun, 22', own goal); Labeau (FC Thun, 34'); Dursun (FC Thun, 57'); Findlay (Heart Of Midlothian, 82')
- KuPS 0-0 Gent
- Mjallby AIF 2-0 Borac Banja Luka — Bergstrom (Mjallby AIF, 54'); Enggaard (Mjallby AIF, 88')
- Monaco 2-0 FC Nordsjaelland — Detourbet (Monaco, 33'); Abline (Monaco, 90')
- FC Copenhagen 2-1 FC Iberia 1999 — Elyounoussi (FC Copenhagen, 19', penalty); Selimovic (FC Copenhagen, 22', own goal); Dzagania (FC Iberia 1999, 30')
- Twente 3-1 Pafos — Lele (Pafos, 39'); Nijstad (Twente, 62'); Orjasaeter (Twente, 76'); Weidmann (Twente, 82'); red card: Lelê (Pafos, 64')
- Getafe 0-1 Brighton — Yalcouye (Brighton, 64')
- FC Lugano 3-0 Kauno Žalgiris — Cimignani (FC Lugano, 11'); Alioski (FC Lugano, 24'); Dos Santos (FC Lugano, 32')
- Panathinaikos 2-1 CSKA Sofia — Calabria (Panathinaikos, 41'); Almeida (CSKA Sofia, 44'); Taborda (Panathinaikos, 68')
- Universitatea Craiova 2-0 Egnatia Rrogozhinë — Cicaldau (Universitatea Craiova, 24'); Bancu (Universitatea Craiova, 32'); red card: Eneo Bitri (Egnatia Rrogozhinë, 83')
- Sint-Truiden 1-1 Brann — Ishiwatari (Sint-Truiden, 48'); Mathisen (Brann, 79')
- Riga 1-1 FK Jablonec — Reginaldo Ramires (Riga, 34', penalty); Nebyla (FK Jablonec, 49')
Table
| # | Club | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Lugano | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | Panathinaikos | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | Twente | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 4 | Monaco | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | Brighton | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 6 | Brann | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | FC Copenhagen | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | Universitatea Craiova | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 9 | Mjallby AIF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 10 | Sint-Truiden | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 11 | Ajax | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 | Trabzonspor | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 13 | HNK Hajduk Split | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 14 | SC Freiburg | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 15 | FK Crvena Zvezda | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 16 | Atalanta | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 17 | SC Braga | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 18 | Gent | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 19 | Riga | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | FC Thun | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 21 | Borac Banja Luka | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 22 | Lincoln Red Imps FC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 23 | FK Jablonec | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 24 | Aarhus | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 25 | FC Nordsjaelland | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 26 | Egnatia Rrogozhinë | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 27 | Kairat Almaty | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | CSKA Sofia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 29 | FC Iberia 1999 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 30 | Pafos | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 31 | Getafe | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 32 | Heart Of Midlothian | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 33 | KuPS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 34 | FC Midtjylland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 35 | Inter Club d'Escaldes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 36 | Kauno Žalgiris | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Top scorers
- K. Behrens (FC Lugano) — 7 goals
- Winsley Boteli Mokango (FC Sion) — 7 goals
- T. Arokodare (Ajax) — 6 goals
- D. Klaassen (Ajax) — 6 goals
- C. Dessers (Panathinaikos) — 6 goals