UEFA Champions League League Stage - 4
Ajax 0 - 3 FT Galatasaray
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
4' Jorthy Mokio
38' Anton Gaaei
HT
46' ↓ O. Wijndal ↑G. Alders
↓ Gabriel Sara ↑B. A. Yilmaz 46'
V. Osimhen (L. Sane) 59'
V. Osimhen 66'
70' ↓ Y. Regeer ↑K. Fitz-Jim
70' ↓ M. Godts ↑R. Bounida
75' Davy Klaassen
V. Osimhen 78'
79' ↓ J. Mokio ↑J. McConnell
↓ V. Osimhen ↑M. Icardi 81'
85' James McConnell
↓ I. Jakobs ↑E. Elmali 86'
↓ M. Lemina ↑K. Ayhan 86'
↓ L. Torreira ↑B. Kutlu 89'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Ajax
Goalkeepers
R. Pasveer 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
A. Gaaei 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
J. Sutalo 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Y. Baas 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
2
Fouls
6.2
Rating
O. Wijndal
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Midfielders
D. Klaassen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Mokio
LATE SHIFT
11
Late Mins
11
Late Mins
78
Total Mins
79
Entry
Y. Regeer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
70
Entry
O. Gloukh
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
M. Godts
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
70
Entry
Forwards
W. Weghorst
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
V. Jaros 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
J. Heerkens
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
L. Rosa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Itakura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Alders
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
5.9
Rating
J. McConnell
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Fitz-Jim
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Moro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Edvardsen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
D. Konadu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Bounida 
DRIBBLER
3
Dribbles
3
Dribbles
3
Attempts
100%
Success %
Galatasaray
Goalkeepers
U. Cakir
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
W. Singo
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
D. Sanchez 
MAGNET
91
Activity
91
Activity
84
Passes
7
Duels
A. Bardakci
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Jakobs
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
L. Torreira
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Lemina
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
L. Sane 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.2
Rating
Gabriel Sara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
R. Sallai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
V. Osimhen 
HAT-TRICK HERO
3
Goals
3
Goals
5
On Target
9.6
Rating
BENCH
B. Sen
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
G. Guvenc
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
M. Baltaci
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Elmali
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Ayhan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Unyay
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
B. Kutlu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Icardi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Kutucu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Demir
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
B. A. Yilmaz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/01/2025 | Ajax | 2 - 1 | Galatasaray | UEFA Europa League | Johan Cruijff ArenA |
30/01/2025
Ajax Win
Galatasaray Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 4 GD: +11
P: 4 GD: +11
P: 4 GD: +10
P: 4 GD: +7
P: 4 GD: +9
P: 4 GD: +8
P: 4 GD: +6
P: 4 GD: +5
P: 4 GD: +2
P: 4 GD: +5
P: 4 GD: +5
P: 4 GD: +3
P: 4 GD: +3
P: 4 GD: +2
P: 4 GD: +1
P: 4 GD: -2
P: 4 GD: +1
P: 4 GD: +2
P: 4 GD: -2
P: 4 GD: -3
P: 4 GD: -4
P: 4 GD: -2
P: 4 GD: -4
P: 4 GD: -5
P: 4 GD: +1
P: 4 GD: -1
P: 4 GD: -5
P: 4 GD: -8
P: 4 GD: -3
P: 4 GD: -6
P: 4 GD: -7
P: 4 GD: -4
P: 4 GD: -8
P: 4 GD: -9
P: 4 GD: -6
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +19
P: 8 GD: +14
P: 8 GD: +12
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +9
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -13
P: 8 GD: -11
P: 8 GD: -14
P: 8 GD: -13
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Osimhen's Masterclass Exposes Ajax's Continental Crisis
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 49/100. Galatasaray's 3-0 demolition of Ajax at Johan Cruijff Arena wasn't just a victory—it was a statement that the Dutch giants are drowning in Europe while the Turkish challengers have arrived.
The Predator Strikes Thrice
Victor Osimhen didn't just score; he hunted. The Galatasaray forward's hat-trick—beginning with a clinical finish in the 59th minute, completed via penalty conversions in the 66th and 78th—exposed Ajax's defensive fragility with surgical precision. Intensity levels spiked whenever Osimhen touched the ball, and Remko Pasveer's four saves proved merely a delay tactic against the inevitable. Ajax's backline, already stretched thin, crumbled under the weight of Galatasaray's relentless pressure. The stakes were clear from kickoff: Ajax needed a performance; instead, they delivered a capitulation.
Tactical Dominance and the Turning Point
The 59th-minute opener—set up by Leroy Sane's incisive pass—marked the moment Ajax's evening shifted from competitive to catastrophic. By the 64th minute, VAR confirmed Barış Alper Yılmaz's penalty claim, and Osimhen converted with the composure of a striker who knew the match was already won. Galatasaray's balance between possession (52%) and lethality proved the difference: they conjured 2.54 expected goals and converted three of them into the net. Ajax, by contrast, generated just 0.90 xG from 8 shots—a damning indictment of their creative void. Davinson Sánchez's commanding defensive display anchored Galatasaray's rearguard, ensuring Ajax's four yellow cards and 48% possession yielded nothing but regret.
The Broader Reckoning
This wasn't an anomaly; it was a trajectory made visible. Ajax arrive at this juncture with zero wins across four Champions League matches, having conceded 14 goals while scoring just once. Galatasaray, conversely, sit third in the group with three wins and a goal differential of +2, their upset factor credentials now undeniable. The Dutch side's European pedigree counts for nothing when the pitch reveals the gulf between aspiration and execution. Osimhen's hat-trick will echo through Amsterdam long after the final whistle, a reminder that in modern European football, clinical finishing and defensive solidity are non-negotiable.
Key Questions
What made Victor Osimhen the Man of the Match?
Three clinical finishes—one from open play, two from the spot—exploiting Ajax's defensive vulnerabilities with predatory instinct and composure under pressure.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Crisis at the Johan Cruijff Arena
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 24/100. Ajax find themselves in the unthinkable position of fighting for their continental lives against a resurgent Turkish giant.
The Setup
The Stakes couldn't be higher for Ajax, who currently languish in 34th place. With five losses from their opening six matches, the Dutch side’s Form is in shambles. Their defensive Balance has evaporated, conceding a staggering 18 goals already. Conversely, Galatasaray arrive in Amsterdam with the wind in their sails, boasting three consecutive wins that have propelled them into 18th. For the visitors, this is an opportunity to eliminate a historic rival; for Ajax, it is a final stand to avoid a premature exit from the UEFA Champions League.
Key Battle
The tactical struggle will center on Ajax's fragile backline, likely marshalled by Jordan Henderson, attempting to contain a lethal Galatasaray frontline led by Mauro Icardi. Without a coherent defensive structure, Ajax have been porous, and Icardi’s predatory instincts in the box will exploit any lack of communication. If the Ajax midfield cannot protect their overworked defenders, the Turkish side will dominate the tempo and the territory.
Our Prediction
Expect a nervy, disjointed affair. Ajax will likely control possession early on, desperate to prove their worth at home, but their inability to stop counter-attacks will be their undoing. Galatasaray are far more clinical in transition and should find enough gaps in the leaky Dutch defense to secure a 1-2 victory, effectively ending the hosts' European ambitions.