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Ajax had only scored one Champions League goal in their opening five matches in 2025-26 Ajax picked up their first win of their Champions League campaign as they came from behind twice to defeat Qarabag in Azerbaijan. The four-time European champions had lost their opening five matches in the tournament and were facing a sixth when they trailed 2-1 in the 79th minute, before Oscar Gloukh's 20-yard strike made it 2-2. A fine first-time powerful shot from Anton Gaaei three minutes later then gave the Dutch side the lead, and victory was sealed by Gloukh's placed effort into the bottom corner in the 90th minute. The win took Ajax off the bottom of the 36-team table and they visit Villarreal on 20 January before ending the group phase at home to Olympiacos on 28 January. However, it is unlikely they will be able to finish in the top 24 to continue their European campaign into February as they can only get nine points and 11 was needed last season. A tough campaign for Ajax has included 4-0, 5-1 and 3-0 losses to Marseille, Chelsea and Galatasaray respectively. In heavy rain in Baku, Qarabag took a 10th-minute lead when Camilo Duran lofted the ball over advancing goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros. Kasper Dolberg equalised six minutes before half-time with a fine 25-yard shot into the corner, only for Matheus Silva to restore the home side's advantage immediately after the restart with a low deflected effort. Qarabag, who have never made the knockout stages of the Champions League, have seven points from six matches and host Eintracht Frankfurt on 21 January, before a trip to Liverpool a week later. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 10th December 2025 at 21: 56 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Qurban Qurbanov Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Fred Grim Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Qurban Qurbanov Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Fred Grim Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 UEFA Champions League All competitions All competitions All competitions The only previous meeting between Qarabag and Ajax came in last season’s UEFA Europa League, with the Dutch side winning 3-0 away from home in the league phase (October 2024). Qarabag are winless in their five matches against Dutch sides in European competition (D3 L2), while they’ve failed to score in any of their three home matches against such opposition (D2 L1). Qarabag failed to win any of their three home games in their only previous UEFA Champions League campaign in 2017-18 (D1 L2), scoring just once, but have picked up four points from their two home matches in the competition this term, scoring twice in each (2-0 vs Copenhagen, 2-2 vs Chelsea). Ajax have lost nine of their last 10 UEFA Champions League matches (W1) and could lose six consecutive games in the competition for the very first time – they are the second Dutch team to go pointless across their opening five matches of a campaign after Feyenoord in 2017-18, who won their sixth game that season. Only Ajax and Copenhagen (all five games) have conceded 2+ goals in more UEFA Champions League matches this season than Qarabag (4), with Ajax having the leakiest defence overall this term – the Dutch side’s 16 goals conceded is already their joint-most ever in a single campaign in this competition (also in 2012-13 and 2022-23). Pafos (10. 6) are the only team currently sitting in a play-off spot or higher after MD5 of this season’s UEFA Champions League that have faced a higher expected goals against figure than Qarabag (10. 5). Ajax have been trailing for 73% of their match time in the UEFA Champions League this season; the most by any team through the opening five matchdays. Indeed, they also rank last for total minutes trailing in the competition in this period (356: 21). Qarabag have made the fewest starting XI changes in the UEFA Champions League this season (4), with 2022-23 the last campaign to see any team make fewer changes to their lineups across their first five games (Benfica – 1, Club Brugge – 3 and Shakhtar Donetsk – 3). Abdellah Zoubir has been involved in more open play sequences ending in a shot for Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League this season than any other player (17), while he has created the joint-most chances (6), attempted the second most dribbles (12) and had the third most shots (5) of any player for the club this term. Ajax’s only goal across their five UEFA Champions League games this season was a Wout Weghorst penalty against Chelsea on MD3 – 13 different players have attempted a non-penalty shot in the competition this term for the Dutch side to no avail (9 on target). Overall, the Lancers have recorded the joint-fewest shots (37), the fewest shots on target (10) and fewest goals (1) of any side in 2025-26. Match ends, Qarabag 2, Ajax 4. Second Half ends, Qarabag 2, Ajax 4. Attempt blocked. Oleksii Kashchuk (Qarabag) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin Medina. Lucas Rosa (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Dani Bolt (Qarabag). Attempt missed. Emmanuel Addai (Qarabag) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Joni Montiel with a through ball. Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time. Goal! Qarabag 2, Ajax 4. Oscar Gloukh (Ajax) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mika Godts following a fast break. Foul by Don-Angelo Konadu (Ajax). Kevin Medina (Qarabag) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Qarabag. Joni Montiel replaces Pedro Bicalho. Substitution, Qarabag. Dani Bolt replaces Matheus Silva. Substitution, Qarabag. Toral Bayramov replaces Elvin Cafarquliyev. Attempt missed. Elvin Cafarquliyev (Qarabag) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Matheus Silva following a corner. Corner, Qarabag. Conceded by Aaron Bouwman. Substitution, Ajax. Kian Fitz-Jim replaces Jorthy Mokio. Goal! Qarabag 2, Ajax 3. Anton Gaaei (Ajax) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Don-Angelo Konadu following a fast break. Don-Angelo Konadu (Ajax) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Nariman Akhundzada (Qarabag). Attempt missed. Kevin Medina (Qarabag) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marko Jankovic with a cross following a corner. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.


