Ajax secured their first Champions League victory of the season in a thrilling 4-2 comeback against Qarabag in Azerbaijan. The four-time European champions, who had previously lost their opening five matches, found themselves trailing 2-1 in the 79th minute before staging an impressive turnaround.
Oscar Gloukh levelled the score with a powerful 20-yard strike, and just three minutes later, Anton Gaaei put Ajax ahead with a first-time, powerful shot. Gloukh then sealed the victory with a well-placed effort into the bottom corner in the 90th minute.
The win lifted Ajax off the bottom of the 36-team table. They will next face Villarreal on January 20 before concluding their group stage campaign at home against Olympiacos on January 28. However, their chances of advancing to the next round remain slim, as they would need to secure at least nine points, a feat that proved insufficient last season.
Ajax's challenging campaign thus far includes heavy defeats to Marseille, Chelsea, and Galatasaray, with scores of 4-0, 5-1, and 3-0 respectively.
The match in Baku saw Qarabag take an early lead in the 10th minute when Camilo Duran lofted the ball over Ajax goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros. Kasper Dolberg equalized six minutes before halftime with a fine 25-yard shot into the corner. However, Matheus Silva restored Qarabag's lead immediately after the restart with a low, deflected effort.
Qarabag, who have yet to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League, have seven points from six matches. They will host Eintracht Frankfurt on January 21 before traveling to Liverpool a week later. The Azerbaijani side's European ambitions remain alive, but they face stiff competition in their quest for qualification.
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