Published November 5, 2026 · Taken Social Editorial
Ajax delivered one of Thursday’s most emphatic European results, scoring five times after halftime to beat Midtjylland 6–1 away from home as the Conference League reached the midpoint of its league phase.
Brighton also won on the road, edging Getafe 1–0, while Atalanta needed a late Nikola Krstović equalizer to draw 1–1 with Kairat Almaty. The contrasting results showed how differently a night could unfold for clubs with recognizable names and ambitions to advance.
Three of the six league-phase rounds have now been played. That makes Thursday an important checkpoint, although it leaves half the program available for teams to strengthen a promising start or repair a disappointing one. A large victory can help a club’s position; it does not by itself settle the qualification table.
Ajax turns a level match into a rout
Tolu Arokodare scored in the ninth minute, but Friday Etim brought Midtjylland level in the 28th. The first half then changed with Kjell Wätjen’s second yellow card in the 43rd minute, leaving the Danish side with ten players.
Ajax’s official account records the decisive second-half sequence. Arokodare restored the lead in the 52nd minute, followed by goals from Owen Wijndal in the 59th, Davy Klaassen in the 67th, Oscar Gloukh in the 74th and substitute Marcos Leonardo in the 82nd.
That progression matters more than the final margin alone. The teams had been level at the interval. Ajax then used its numerical advantage to produce a sustained run of goals, with five different players ultimately scoring across the full match.
For Midtjylland, the dismissal created an adverse situation that became much more damaging after the restart. For Ajax, the performance supplied both three points and a substantial improvement in goal difference. It followed an opening defeat at Hajduk Split and a home victory over Atalanta, leaving the Dutch side with six points.
Atalanta must settle for a late equalizer
Atalanta’s evening in Bergamo was less productive. Marc Gual put Kairat ahead in the 53rd minute, making the most of a counterattack, and the visitors retained that lead until the closing stages.
Krstović finally equalized in the 82nd minute after a corner, with Nikola Obrić directing the ball into his path. The Italian club’s match report described several earlier opportunities and saves by Kairat goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov. Atalanta finished on four points after three matches.
The draw spared the hosts another European defeat, but it did not deliver the home victory they had sought. Kairat left with a point from a match in which its goalkeeper’s work and Gual’s finish had put it in contention for more.
Elsewhere in the earlier completed fixtures, Lincoln Red Imps beat Hajduk Split 1–0, Freiburg won 1–0 at Trabzonspor and Thun defeated Hearts 3–1. News.ro’s results roundup also recorded goalless draws between Aarhus and Braga and between KuPS and Gent.
Brighton adds a narrow win to a varied evening
Brighton’s victory required a different kind of performance from Ajax’s. Malick Yalcouyé headed the second-half winner at Getafe, and the English side protected a clean sheet. The goal was enough to secure a full return from a match that had remained level through halftime.
Taken Social’s full Getafe–Brighton report examines Yalcouyé’s contribution and the work required to preserve the advantage. Brighton now has seven points from three games, following its opening victory over Kauno Žalgiris and a draw at Jablonec.
The next league-phase round is scheduled for November 26, according to UEFA’s fixtures and results guide. Ajax is due to host Thun, Brighton to host Universitatea Craiova and Atalanta to visit Borac. Thursday has altered their starting positions for those assignments; the remaining matches will determine how much those positions are worth.
Header photograph: Olympiacos celebrating its 2024 Conference League title. Archival photograph; not a scene from the November 2026 matches. Michalismav, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.
