Europa League | Knockout Round Playoffs | 2nd Leg

Feb 20, 2025 at 8pm UK

Amsterdam ArenA

Ajaxvs.Union SG

(agg: 2-0)

Match preview

Finishing 12th in the 36-team Europa League, Ajax put themselves in a strong position to reach the last 16 for the first time in four years after beating Union SG 2-0 in the first leg of their play-off tie last week.

The Dutch giants weathered an early storm from Union SG and breathed a sigh of relief when two first-half goals were disallowed. After the break, however, the contest shifted in Ajax's favour and goals from Christian Rasmussen and 16-year-old Jorthy Mokio helped them to victory in Brussels.

It was a much-needed European triumph for Francesco Farioli's men, who had won just one of their previous 10 European knockout matches, and they followed that up with a thumping 4-0 home win over Heracles on Sunday to move two points clear at the top of the Eredivisie.

Ajax have now won each of their last five games in all competitions, scoring two or more goals on each occasion, and will be looking to make it three European victories in a row for the first time since March 2021 (a run of five) when they host Union SG on Thursday.

De Godenzonen will be confident of finishing the job in the second leg and beating Union SG in front of their own fans, having won seven of their last eight home games against Belgian opposition in all European competitions, with the exception of a 3-1 defeat to Anderlecht in December 2009.

Union SG were hoping to bounce back from last week's first-leg defeat to Ajax when they hosted relegation-threatened Mechelen in the Belgian Pro League on Sunday, but they were held to a second successive home defeat without scoring as they lost 1-0.

Les Unionistes had previously gone 13 games without defeat in the Belgian top flight, but it was not their day in front of goal as they failed to convert any of their nine attempts on goal, while Promise David hit the crossbar and Anouar Ait El Hadj missed a sitter in the second half.

Union SG remain third in the standings, but have slipped six points behind second-placed Club Brugge and 14 behind leaders Genk with just four games remaining in the regular season. Ahead of their trip to fourth-placed Anderlecht on Sunday, Les Unionistes will be hoping to keep their Europa League place this season.

And while head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has not given up hope of overturning a two-goal deficit, the 37-year-old former West Brom and Brighton defender admits his Union SG side will have to be "perfect" against Ajax if they are to progress to the last 16.

Union SG have progressed in just one of their last seven European encounters, losing the first leg, while defeat on Thursday would mean they have lost three consecutive Europa League games in the same season for the first time.

Recent Performance

Ajax Europa League form:WLLLWW

Ajax form (all competitions):LWWWWW

Union SG Europa League form:DWWWLL

Union SG form (all competitions):WLWWLL

Team News

Ajax will be without Jordan Henderson (hamstring), Wout Weghorst (broken toe), Branco van den Boomen (back) and Youri Regeer (ankle) through injury, while Kenneth Taylor (illness) and Owen Wijndal (knock) will be assessed before kick-off.

Davy Klaassen scored his 100th goal for Ajax last weekend and is in contention to start in midfield alongside Jorthy Mokio, who at 16 years and 350 days became Ajax's youngest goalscorer in European competition in last week's first leg, surpassing Rafael van der Vaart (17 years, 214 days).

Brian Brobbey was also on the scoresheet last weekend and will be hoping to retain his place up front, with Christian Rasmussen, Oliver Valaker Edvardsen, Bertrand Traore and Mika Godts all vying for starts on the flanks.

For Union SG, Alessio Castro-Montes (muscle) and Kamiel Van De Perre (hamstring) remain sidelined with injuries, but Ross Sykes is available after missing the first leg through suspension.

Sykes and fellow Englishman Christian Burgess could both be recalled to start at the back alongside Fedde Leysen, while Pocognoli will consider whether to keep Kevin Mac Allister at right-back or bring Anan Khalaili back into the starting line-up.

Franjo Ivanovic is Union SG's top scorer this season with 14 goals, while Promise David has found the net 12 times so far, and both players will start in attack alongside either Ait El Hadj or Mohammed Fuseini.

Possible starting lineup

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Rosa, Rugani, Baas, Hato; Mokio, Klaassen, Fitz-Jim; Traore, Brobbey, Edvardsen

Union SG possible starting lineup:

Moris; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Khalaili, Vanhoutte, Sadiki, Niang; Fuseini, Promise; Ivanovic