Ajax needed a penalty shoot-out to overcome Utrecht and avoid missing out on European football for the first time in 35 years as they won the Conference League play-offs.
After a goalless 90 minutes in Volendam, the Amsterdammers took the lead when captain Davy Klaassen latched on to a loose ball after Utrecht failed to clear a free-kick.
Givaij Zechiel equalised a minute into the second extra-time period from a similar position, and with neither team able to force the breakthrough, the tie was decided by spot-kicks.
Ivory Coast international Sébastian Haller missed Utrecht’s first attempt, while Ajax converted their first four, leaving Souffian El Karouani needing to score to keep Utrecht’s hopes alive. But Maarten Paes dived to his left to make the save and deny his former club a famous victory.
Klaassen, who also scored Ajax’s opening goal in the semi-final against Groningen, said: “It’s been a rotten season for us, but the fact that we’ve been able to end it like this shows the love for the fans is still there.”
Utrecht coach Ron Jans, who saw his 25-year managerial career end in the narrowest of defeats, said: “Ajax deserved to win. We had our moments, but Ajax were better.”
Ajax will enter the Conference League in the second preliminary round. They will learn the identity of their opponents on June 17, with the matches to be played on July 23 and 30.
Willem II promoted
The weekend’s other play-off match also went to penalties as Willem II were promoted at the expense of Volendam.
Volendam, who finished in the play-off spot at the bottom of the Eredivisie, held a 2-1 lead after the opening leg in Tilburg. But the visitors overturned their advantage in less than 20 minutes as Siegert Baartmans and Finn Stam found the net.
Yannick Leliendal levelled the tie with a long-range strike just before half-time, but neither side was able to find a winner.
Willem II’s goalkeeper, Tomas Didillon-Hödl scored the decisive penalty in the shoot-out – a week after Telstar’s goalkeeper, Ronald Koeman Jr, scored from the spot against the same team in the final league game of the season.
