Split’s old stadium air turned heavy with smoke and noise as Hajduk Split opened their Conference League campaign by bringing Ajax back to earth. Míchel’s Dutch side arrived in Croatia among the competition’s early favourites, yet left with a 2-1 defeat after a night in which the hosts made their intensity, pace and home support count.
Key takeaways
- Hajduk Split claimed their first three Conference League points with a 2-1 home victory over Ajax.
- Sanyang gave the Croatian club the lead in the 37th minute, before Soticek restored it two minutes after Ajax had levelled.
- Klaassen scored Ajax’s equaliser in the 53rd minute from Kehrer’s delivery into the penalty area.
- A misplaced backward pass by Jofre Torrents led directly to Hajduk’s winning goal.
- The match was temporarily halted when pyrotechnics from the stands created smoke thick enough to prevent play.
Hajduk seize the initiative in Split
Ajax struggled to settle during the opening half. Their spells on the ball brought little threat, while Hajduk increasingly pressed higher and found confidence in front of an already fervent home crowd.
The breakthrough arrived after 37 minutes through a rapid move down the middle. Soticek carried the ball forward as Ajax retreated, then released Sanyang on the right. The Gambian forward struck a low finish across Ter Stegen to put Hajduk ahead.
Ajax responded by keeping more possession, although their circulation remained slow, an issue that has drawn criticism of Míchel since his arrival at the club. The visitors did find a route back after the interval: Kehrer sent the ball into the area and Klaassen, arriving from deeper territory, took control quickly before guiding his finish beyond the goalkeeper in the 53rd minute.
A costly error and a troubled finale
The equaliser did not alter the balance for long. Just two minutes later, Ajax gave the ball away during an extended passage of possession that had failed to move them forward. Former Barcelona player Jofre Torrents played an inaccurate pass back, allowing Sego to take possession and square for Soticek, who finished past the helpless Ter Stegen.
With the lead restored, Hajduk shaped the contest to their liking. Fouls disrupted Ajax’s attempts to build momentum and the home side showed no urgency to restart play.
The atmosphere then crossed into disruption when flares and other pyrotechnics produced a blanket of smoke over the pitch, forcing the referee to suspend the match temporarily. Míchel turned to his bench, including former Girona winger Tsygankov, but the changes could not produce another equaliser.
For Ajax, the Croatian trip delivered an early reminder that Conference League status will count for little in grounds such as Split when control of the ball is not matched by speed, precision or threat.
