In a lively Villa Park, both teams kept each other reasonably in check in the opening phase. Even so, the team from Birmingham did seem more threatening. For instance, Bailey had a shot across the goal. Diant Ramaj did dive for the ball, but didn't need to make a save.
The home team found the 1-0 marker with about 25 minutes on the clock. From a corner, Ollie Watkins was able to score a header unhindered. He outmanoeuvred Ramaj to the far corner.
After taking the lead, Aston Villa optically had the ascendancy. Only in the absolute closing phase of the first half did Ajax have one huge opportunity. Chuba Akpom stayed committed to a ball that seemed to go over the goal line, crossed it in and found Brobbey. With a movement of the foot, he tried to get the ball into the far corner. Matty Cash was able to make the save on the line.
Unfortunately, in the second half Ajax didn't have much more in the tank. Especially after Bailey made it 2-0. He took advantage of Sivert Mannsverk losing the ball in the midfield. A short time later, the referee ejected the Norwegian from the pitch with a second yellow card.
Duran made the score even worse. The Colombian fired a blistering shot on goal that clipped the bottom of the crossbar, but the ball did go over the line: 3-0. Just after that, Moussa Diaby went on to add the fourth goal of the evening. He outmanoeuvred Ramaj to the near corner.
Aston Villa - Ajax 4-0 (1-0)
25. Watkins 1-0
60. Bailey 2-0
75. Durán 3-0
81. Diaby 4-0
Red card: 66. Mannsverk (Ajax)
Ajax: Ramaj, Rensch (79. Tahirović), Šutalo (68. Gaaei), Hato, Kaplan (39. Akpom), Sosa, Mannsverk, Henderson, Taylor, Hlynsson, Brobbey
