Galatasaray heads to UEFA Europa League playoffs after 2-1 Ajax loss

Galatasaray’s hopes of advancing to the top 8 in the UEFA Europa League were dashed after a 2-1 loss to Ajax in their final group-stage match on Thursday evening, yet they will continue to the play-off round.

The match, played in Amsterdam, saw Ajax claim a 2-1 victory. The hosts took the lead in the 23rd minute when Bertrand Traore scored the opening goal, sending them into the halftime break with a 1-0 advantage. Ajax doubled their lead in the 58th minute, with a strike from Kian Fitz-Jim, making it 2-0.

However, in a dramatic finish, Galatasaray pulled one back in injury time. In the 90+4th minute, Yusuf Demir’s corner kick from the right side created a scramble in the box, where Victor Osimhen seized the opportunity and netted the ball into the back of the net, reducing to the final score of 2-1.

This loss marked Galatasaray’s first defeat in the group stage of the Europa League, leaving them with 13 points and finishing the group in 14th place out of 36 competing teams.

As a result, they will now enter the play-off round. Ajax also ended the group phase with 13 points, securing their position in the next stage.