Ajax saw off Sion 4-2 in the UEFA Conference League playoff round at the Tourbillon stadium on Wednesday evening. The Dutch side secured their place in the next stage with a comprehensive display of attacking football. And here's the thing about away performances — this was the kind of result that settles a tie early.
Frank Surdez gave Sion an unexpected lead in the thirty-fourth minute, catching the visitors off guard. Julian Brandt levelled shortly after the restart before Marcos Leonardo put Ajax ahead in the sixtieth. I. Chouaref then dragged his side back into contention with a penalty in the seventy-second minute.
By then Ajax had pulled ahead again through T. Arokodare in the seventy-fourth, and D. Klaassen added a late eighth-minute goal to seal victory. The Dutch side controlled the tempo after their initial stumble, showing the composure that comes from experience in these knockout ties.
Our forecast had backed the visitors with fifty-four per cent confidence, and that assessment proved sound. Ajax created three big chances against Sion's one, and their expected goals total of 3.53 versus 1.74 told the story of dominance. The visitors completed 634 passes to the hosts' 378, maintaining possession at sixty-two per cent throughout.
Sion showed resilience in their defensive organisation, making 28 clearances compared to Ajax's 11, but could not convert their limited opportunities into goals. The home side managed only four shots on target from eight attempts inside the penalty area, a conversion rate that would have frustrated their supporters.
The result keeps Ajax's European campaign alive and puts Sion's season in perspective. They had won their previous five matches comfortably, but this fixture revealed the gap between domestic form and continental competition.