AMSTERDAM--Ajax will be playing European football in the new year after their 3-1 win over AEK Athens secured a spot in the Conference League. Ajax knew what they needed to do going into the clash on Thursday. A win sealed third spot in their Europa League group. John van ‘t Schip’s side started brightly and the lead came in the fifth minute when Chuba Akpom headed in a corner. However, the lead lasted only six minutes before Levi García headed in a free-kick to make it 1-1. Ajax reacted well and nine minutes later Jorrel Hato found Kenneth Taylor, who spun into the box before finishing well. Brian Brobbey almost made it 3-1 after some strong play but his shot was kept out by the AEK Athens goalkeeper. Diant Ramaj then kept Ajax in front with some good saves before Ar’Jany Martha, who had replaced Brobbey at the break, played in Akpom. The striker’s shot was poor but it beat Athanasiadis and made it 3-1. Ajax no longer had any problems with the Greek visitors and further goals could have been scored. However, Akpom was denied a hattrick by the post and some poor finishing. Ajax will find out on Monday who they will face in the Conference League. The two ties will then be played in February. Elsewhere, AZ Alkmaar are out of the Conference League after a poor 2-0 loss against Legia Warsaw in Poland. AZ headed to Poland needing to win to reach the knockout rounds but Pascal Jansen made the strange decision to start with right-back Denso Kasius instead of a winger. Ruben van Bommel, Ernest Poku and Jayden Addai all started on the bench. Due to Mathew Ryan’s injury, Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduru started in goal for the first time. AZ struggled to create chances in the opening stages but they had plenty of the ball. Legia Warsaw didn’t threaten but after 34 minutes, a cross found Yuri Ribeiro at the back post and he had plenty of space to net. AZ’s chances of a comeback were all but ended early in the second half when Bruno Martins Indi saw a red card for a rash challenge. Jansen turned to the bench but Jens Odgaard, Riechedly Bazoer, and Ibrahim Sadiq brought little. Eventually, Legia made the extra man count and Blaz Kramer doubled the host’s lead. AZ slumped to their fourth loss in the group and they are out of Europe before the winter break.
BELGRADE-- Manchester City academy graduate Micah Hamilton scored on his senior debut as the side stretched their unbeaten run in Europe to 20 games with a 3-2 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade in their group-stage finale on Wednesday. Oscar Bobb also netted his first goal for the senior side and Kalvin Phillips scored from a penalty for City, who finished with a perfect 18 points from six group games for the first time. They joined Liverpool as the only other English team in history to win all six Champions League group games. Hwang In-beom and Aleksandar Katai netted late second-half goals at the Rajko Mitic Stadium for Belgrade, who finished bottom of Group G with one point. The 20-year-old Hamilton, who joined City at the age of nine, netted in the 19th minute when he cut around a Belgrade defender then fired from a tight angle into the far corner. Bobb, who is also 20, doubled the lead in the 62nd minute when he dribbled at the Red Star defence before tucking a shot into the bottom corner. In a game that meant little to City and nothing to the Group G standings, manager Pep Guardiola made nine changes to the side who played in the 2-1 Premier League win at Luton Town on Sunday. City's league-leading scorer Erling Haaland did not play at Luton due to a foot injury and did not travel to Belgrade. But on a terrific night for City's academy programme, young strikers Hamilton and Bobb filled in admirably in Haaland's absence. Outclassed in the first half, Belgrade made things interesting in the second to the delight of the raucous crowd who barely stopped singing all night. City keeper Stefan Ortego was forced to make two terrific saves shortly after the break before Hwang pulled one back in the 76th minute and Katai scored in injury time.
BARCELONA-- High-flying Girona reclaimed top spot in LaLiga after beating champions Barcelona 4-2 away on Sunday, condemning Xavi Hernandez's side to their second league defeat of the season.
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands- - A much-changed Arsenal were pegged back to draw 1-1 at Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday as both sides concluded their Group B campaign having already secured berths in the last 16.
LIVERPOOL, England-- Everton profited from two Kieran Trippier errors to score late goals through Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Beto as they claimed a 3-0 victory over Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Thursday to move out of the Premier League relegation zone.
