Ajax Favoured to Finish the Job Against Vojvodina

The second leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round takes place on Friday morning, with Dutch giants Ajax hosting Serbian side Vojvodina. Whether judged by recent form or overall quality, Ajax hold the clear edge, and the first-leg result was the best evidence of that. With home advantage as well, Ajax are well placed to win again.

Ajax are currently in the middle of their preparations for the new season, with no domestic competitive fixtures yet on the schedule, so the squad should be physically fresh. Across their last six matches in all competitions, they have recorded four wins, one draw and one defeat, with fairly steady displays at both ends of the pitch. Aside from a 1-3 friendly loss to Panathinaikos, they have conceded no more than once in any other match while posting four wins and one draw. Most notably, Ajax thrashed Vojvodina in the first leg of this Conference League tie, with veterans Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis both getting on the scoresheet. That performance showed the team are settling in well, and given their superior overall strength, Ajax look likely to complete the job with another victory in the return leg.

Unlike Ajax, who have been able to focus on preparation, Vojvodina have just started their domestic league campaign. They not only have to battle for league points, but also juggle European competition, which increases the physical burden on the squad and can even raise the risk of injuries. In the first leg, Sukacev scored to level the match temporarily, but Vojvodina struggled badly when facing Ajax's intense pressing. Their build-up from the back was error-prone, and they also paid the price with frequent fouls, committing 18 compared with Ajax's 7, before eventually losing 1-4. Ajax also produced 16 shots in total in that game, with 11 on target, while Vojvodina conceded four times. Some even joked that Vojvodina could count themselves fortunate the defeat was not heavier.