Tolu Arokodare scored twice and set up another as Ajax beat 10-man Midtjylland 6-1 in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.
The Super Eagles striker needed just nine minutes to open the scoring with a powerful header, and Friday Ubi Etim levelled for the Danish hosts in the 28th minute. A red card before half-time left Midtjylland a player short.
Wätjen red card changes the game
Midtjylland lost a player two minutes before the break when Kjell Wätjen was sent off for a second yellow card. The hosts, who had competed well in the opening half hour, were forced to play the entire second half a man short, and Ajax scored five times after the interval.
Ajax run riot after the break
Arokodare restored Ajax’s lead seven minutes after the restart, netting his second of the night in the 52nd minute to put Ajax ahead again. He then turned provider in the 59th minute, teeing up Owen Wijndal to extend the advantage to 3-1.
The goals kept coming. Davy Klaassen made it 4-1 in the 67th minute, Oscar Gloukh added a fifth in the 74th, and Marcos Leonardo completed the rout in the 82nd. Arokodare, substituted in the 70th minute, left the pitch with two goals and an assist to his name.
What it means for the league phase
The decisive difference came after the red card. Ajax went into half-time level at 1-1, then scored five times against ten men. Arokodare contributed to the first three Ajax goals, with two finishes and the assist for Wijndal.
The report does not establish qualification for the knockout phase, and the score alone should not be treated as proof that Ajax have secured it.
It was a busy Thursday across Europe. In the Europa League, AC Milan slumped to a 2-0 home defeat against Ferencvaros, with Lenny Joseph scoring twice at San Siro. Full scores and standings are available on UEFA’s official Conference League page.
FAQs
Who scored for Ajax against Midtjylland? Tolu Arokodare scored twice (9th and 52nd minutes), with Owen Wijndal, Davy Klaassen, Oscar Gloukh and Marcos Leonardo also on target in the 6-1 win.
Why did Midtjylland play with 10 men? Kjell Wätjen was sent off in the 43rd minute after receiving a second yellow card.
What competition was the match played in? The match was a UEFA Conference League league phase fixture played on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Match details via The Nation.
Updated November 7, 2026: removed repeated detail and unsupported wider claims about the effect on the competition. Match facts are attributed to The Nation rather than implied to come from the linked generic UEFA page.
