AMSTERDAM--Ajax opened up their Europa League campaign with a 3-3 draw against Marseille. After a difficult week on and off the pitch, Ajax took to the field in Amsterdam looking for a much-needed lift against Marseille.
Maurice Steijn’s side began brightly and the lead came when a long ball from Jay Gorter was latched onto by Carlos Forbs and he struck the ball past Pau Lopez. After 20 minutes, it was 2-0 as Steven Berghuis found the net. The celebrations were quickly dampened as Jonathan Clauss weaved into the Ajax boss and hammered the ball past Gorter. Marseille then took control and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did eventually make it 2-2. The striker also hit the crossbar and had an effort cleared off the line, while Gorter had to make some good saves to stop the Ligue 1 side going into the break ahead.
Steijn took off Benjamin Tahirovic at the break and Silvano Vos helped Ajax gain a bit more control in the midfield. The hosts regained the lead through Kenneth Taylor and really should have added a fourth but Steven Bergwijn could not finish off after a good pass from Brian Brobbey. At the other end, Marseille also had chances and after 78 minutes, Aubameyang cut past some half-hearted challenges before firing past Gorter to make it 3-3.
Taylor almost made it 4-3 before the end but Ajax had to finish the game with 10 men as Vos saw his second yellow card. Marseille did not make the advantage count in the final minutes though and it ended in a draw. In the group’s other game, Brighton lost 3-2 at home against AEK.
