In a dramatic Europa League third-round qualifying tie, Ajax secured a thrilling 13-12 victory over Panathinaikos in a marathon penalty shootout at the Johan Cruyff ArenA on Thursday. The shootout, which required 34 kicks to determine the winner, followed a 1-1 aggregate score after both legs.
The second leg saw Panathinaikos secure a 1-0 victory on the night, courtesy of an 89th-minute goal by Tete, which canceled out Ajax’s 1-0 lead from the first leg and pushed the match into extra time.
The shootout itself was a spectacle, with each team taking 17 penalties. Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer was the hero of the night, saving five penalties and even converting one himself. The decisive moment came when Anton Gaaei successfully slotted home his penalty, ending the epic contest.
“It was incredible,” Ajax coach Francesco Farioli remarked. “The spirit and commitment of the team were great tonight. We are not perfect, but the players gave everything.”
With this hard-fought victory, Ajax progresses to the play-off round, where they will face Jagiellonia Białystok of Poland next week.
