Ajax earned their first Champions League win of the season after a big fightback, coming from behind twice to beat Qarabag in Azerbaijan.
The four-time European champions had lost all five of their opening matches and were on course for a sixth straight defeat when they fell 2-1 behind in the 79th minute. But Oscar Gloukh fired in a 20-yard shot to make it 2-2, and three minutes later Anton Gaaei smashed in a first-time effort to put Ajax ahead. Gloukh sealed the win in the 90th minute with a calm finish into the bottom corner.
The victory lifted Ajax off the bottom of the new 36-team Champions League table. They face Villarreal on 20 January and finish their group stage at home to Olympiacos on 28 January. However, they are still unlikely to reach the top 24 and continue in Europe as they can only reach nine points, while 11 were needed last season.
Ajax’s tough campaign has included heavy losses — 4-0 to Marseille, 5-1 to Chelsea, and 3-0 to Galatasaray.
In the rainy conditions in Baku, Qarabag scored first in the 10th minute when Camilo Duran chipped the ball over keeper Vitezslav Jaros. Kasper Dolberg made it 1-1 before half-time with a long-range strike, but Matheus Silvarestored Qarabag’s lead right after the break with a deflected low shot.
Qarabag, who have never reached the Champions League knockout stages, now have seven points from six matches. They host Eintracht Frankfurt on 21 January before travelling to Liverpool a week later.
