Conference League: Brighton held 0-0 at Jablonec as late Ajax goals sink Atalanta
Brighton had 26 attempts but drew 0-0 in the Czech Republic, Ajax beat Atalanta 2-0 with late goals, and Monaco thrashed Freiburg 3-0.
Brighton's six-game winning run ended in the Czech Republic on Thursday night. Fabian Hurzeler's side had 26 attempts at goal but were held 0-0 by Jablonec in the UEFA Conference League. Matchday 2 also produced a late Ajax win over Atalanta, a 3-0 win for Monaco against Freiburg and a surprise 5-2 home defeat for Getafe against Lugano. The 21:00 Central European Time kick-offs started at 3am on Friday in Malaysia.
Brighton draw a blank at Jablonec
Hurzeler made eight changes from the side that beat Crystal Palace 5-0 last weekend. The game was his 100th in charge of Brighton. His team had about 73 per cent of the ball but rarely created a clear chance. It was the first time in ten games they had failed to score.
Jablonec had the better openings. Antonin Rusek headed a corner wide from close range, and Bart Verbruggen made several important saves. The Brighton goalkeeper turned over a curling shot from Jiri Slama and kept out a drive from Tchanturishvili late on. Martin Cedidla had the best chance of all on 84 minutes but shot wide with only Verbruggen to beat.
Hurzeler accepted the result. He told reporters that a 0-0 draw means "you didn't create enough".
Late goals rescue Ajax against Atalanta
Ajax lost 2-1 at Hajduk Split on matchday 1, so they needed a response against Maurizio Sarri's Atalanta in Amsterdam. For most of the night, the game stayed goalless. Lucas Rosa hit the post early on for Ajax.
The breakthrough came late from two substitutes. Tolu Arokodare scored in the closing minutes, and teenager Abdellah Ouazane added a second deep into stoppage time. Atalanta started the competition among the favourites, so it was a significant result for Ajax.
Monaco too strong for Freiburg
Monaco, coached by Filipe Luis, beat Freiburg 3-0 at the Stade Louis II. Paris Brunner scored in first-half stoppage time, Lamine Camara added a second on 83 minutes and Ansu Fati completed the win in added time. It was Freiburg's first defeat in Europe this season after their opening 3-2 win over Jablonec.
Goals at Getafe and the rest of the results
The highest-scoring game of the night was in Spain, where Lugano beat Getafe 5-2. Panathinaikos also scored five, winning 5-1 at Kairat Almaty, and Brann won 4-1 at Kauno Zalgiris. Twente won 4-1 at Lincoln Red Imps.
Trabzonspor beat Hearts 2-0, Braga beat Gent 2-0 and Borac beat KuPS 2-0. Universitatea Craiova won 3-1 at Inter Escaldes, Sint-Truiden won 1-0 at Midtjylland and Hajduk Split won 1-0 at Thun.
Crvena Zvezda drew 2-2 with Copenhagen, and Nordsjaelland drew 2-2 with CSKA Sofia. Iberia Tbilisi drew 1-1 with Mjallby, Pafos drew 1-1 with Riga, and Aarhus drew 1-1 with Egnatia.
What comes next
Matchday 3 is on Thursday 5 November. Brighton travel to Getafe, Atalanta host Kairat Almaty and Ajax visit Midtjylland. Monaco host Nordsjaelland and Jablonec go to Riga. The 21:00 CET games will start at 4am on Friday 6 November in Malaysia.
Key takeaways
- Brighton were held 0-0 at Jablonec despite 26 attempts, ending a six-game winning run.
- Late goals from substitutes Tolu Arokodare and Abdellah Ouazane gave Ajax a 2-0 win over Atalanta.
- Monaco beat Freiburg 3-0, with Ansu Fati scoring the third.
- Lugano won 5-2 at Getafe, Brighton's next Conference League opponents.
FAQ
Why was Brighton's draw at Jablonec a surprise? Brighton had won six games in a row and had 26 attempts at goal. Jablonec still created the best chances and Bart Verbruggen had to make several saves.
Who scored for Ajax against Atalanta? Substitutes Tolu Arokodare and Abdellah Ouazane scored in the final minutes for a 2-0 win.
When do Brighton play next in the Conference League? Brighton visit Getafe on Thursday 5 November. The match starts at 21:00 CET, which is 4am on Friday 6 November in Malaysia.
Sources: UEFA, Sky Sports, NL Times, Bundesliga.com, 112.ua