Morocco midfielder Abdellah Ouazzane scores late as Ajax beat Atalanta to secure first Conference League win

Moroccan international Abdellah Ouazzane scored a late goal to help Ajax Amsterdam secure a 2-0 victory over Italian side Atalanta at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday evening in the second round of the UEFA Conference League league phase.

The young Moroccan midfielder came off the bench in the 62nd minute and made a decisive contribution, finding the back of the net in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to seal an important victory for the Dutch giants.

Ajax had endured a frustrating evening before eventually breaking the deadlock in the 87th minute through Nigerian international Tolu Arokodare, who gave the hosts the lead late in the contest.

The goal provided Ajax with the breakthrough they had been searching for, but Ouazzane ensured there would be no late comeback from the Italian visitors by adding a second in the dying moments of the match.

Introduced with just over half an hour remaining, the Moroccan international brought fresh energy to Ajax’s attack and took his opportunity to make a lasting impression on the contest.

His late strike capped an encouraging individual display and helped Ajax secure their first victory of the competition after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Croatian side Hajduk Split in their opening fixture.

The result offers Ajax a timely boost as they look to build momentum in the league phase, while Ouazzane’s decisive contribution could strengthen his case for more playing time in the coming matches.

Following the victory, Ajax moved to three points and climbed to 13th place in the standings. Atalanta also remained on three points but dropped to 15th position following their defeat in Amsterdam.

Ajax’s victory over Atalanta was among the notable results of the evening, with Ouazzane’s late contribution providing the Moroccan international with an opportunity to make his mark on the European stage.