Ajax survive Sion fightback to secure away victory

FC Sion started with attacking intent in what was billed as a tight playoff encounter, but Ajax's quality gradually took hold as the first half progressed. The Swiss side created chances without converting them, while the Dutch visitors appeared content to absorb pressure and strike on the counter-attack. Marco Baltazar's yellow card in the 30th minute signalled the physical nature of the contest, though it remained a relatively open affair heading toward the interval.

Florian Surdez broke the deadlock for Sion in the 34th minute, giving the home side a precious lead. Ajax's response was swift and clinical. Julian Brandt equalised in the 53rd minute with a composed finish, and the visitors completed their turnaround just seven minutes later when Mateo Leonardo restored their advantage at 1-2. By the 74th minute, Taras Arokodare added a third to extend Ajax's commanding position, leaving Sion needing an unlikely recovery.

The contest fundamentally shifted after the interval. Sion started the second half with energy and the lead, but Ajax's superior technical execution and movement proved decisive once they found their rhythm. Three goals in 21 minutes effectively ended the tie as a contest, with Leonardo's breakthrough the pivotal moment that turned a levelled match into an Ajax advantage they would not relinquish.

Ajax controlled possession for large stretches of the second period, though Sion never surrendered their ambition. Yannick Chouaref converted a penalty in the 71st minute to give the home crowd brief hope of a comeback, pulling it back to 2-3. Defensive vulnerabilities continued to haunt the Swiss outfit, however, and Davy Klaassen's 87th-minute goal sealed Ajax's passage with a final score of 2-4.

Yellow cards for Youri Regeer, Jelle Mokio, and Abdoulaye Gaaei showed Ajax's defensive structure came under genuine pressure in stretches, yet the visitors' discipline held firm when it mattered. Sion's own caution to Baltazar reflected their willingness to compete physically, though it could not compensate for the difference in class across the pitch. The result sends Ajax confidently into the next round while leaving Sion with regrets over what might have been had they better managed their second-half collapse.