Ajax rescued a draw with a dramatic comeback against Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off tie on Thursday.
In this article brought to you by Swissquote, UEFA technical observer Haakon Lunov, working in conjunction with the UEFA analysis unit, analyses how Bodø/Glimt’s ambitious approach in possession stunned the home fans in the Johan Cruijff Arena before the home team battled back to leave the tie on a knife-edge at 2-2.
It was an evening on which Bodø/Glimt handed debuts to four players: goalkeeper Kjetil Haug, centre-back Jostein Gundersen, winger Jens Petter Hauge and attacking midfielder Haakon Evjen – the last two both returning former academy products. Jordan Henderson, meanwhile, made his European debut for a young Ajax side who faced some challenging tactical questions before their late response.
'Bolder Glimt' play through the press
Conference League tactical analysis: Bodø/Glimt playing against the press
Clip one showcases how Bodø/Glimt defied their lack of competitive action during the off-season in Norway with a bold attacking approach using a 4-3-3 system, starting from goalkeeper Kjetil Haug. We see them create a 5v5 contest deep on the right, with the initial attempt to break out frustrated. But defenders Brede Moe and Brice Wembangomo remain calm to draw Ajax’s man-to-man press further in before midfielder Sondre Pet cuts inside to pass forward. The disguised, cushioned pass by Albert Grønbæk invites advancing pivot Patrick Berg to find Jens Petter Hauge with a first-time punched pass wide to the left. Two moments of individual trickery and a three-pass combination effectively bypass Ajax’s midfield four to create a 4 v 3 superiority in the final third. As Hauge drives inside Grønbæk races forward to create an overload at the far post, where he deceives the defender before firing home.
This was typical of Bodø/Glimt’s "real courage and bravery throughout the match", according to Lunov. "They played through and around high pressure, creating a number of high-quality chances from their defensive third."
Clip two highlights the importance of Bodø/Glimt’s left-back Fredrik André Bjørkan in coach Kjetil Knutsen’s plan to take on the Ajax press. In one passage of play, the Norway international passes and moves with intelligence to help propel his team from defensive to attacking third, touching the ball just six times in three separate involvements. "Bjørkan constantly broke through the press," noted Lunov.
Clip three features Bjørkan’s game intelligence again while highlighting Bodø/Glimt’s deep offensive structure. Both full-backs retain width and distance from the central defenders, allowing pivot Berg space to receive directly from goalkeeper Haug behind the first line of Ajax’s press. Note how Bjørkan passes inside and races forward to find space to drive inside.
Ajax find the half-space
Conference League tactical analysis: Ajax creating in the half spaces
Stunned by Grønbæk’s early goal, Ajax needed time to discover their rhythm in a 4-3-3, building up with a back three in the first half. When they did, it was by finding both No10s, Chuba Akpom and Kenneth Taylor, in the half-spaces between the opposition full-backs and centre-backs. Clip one shows defender Tristian Gooijer gaining similar success by drifting inside. In clip two, Taylor repeats the movement to collect on the half-turn and find Akpom advancing into the penalty area. The third example shows Akpom receiving on the back foot in the half-space on the right after a punched forward pass from Rensch. The move results in a shot on target from Henderson.
The key for Ajax was maintaining width in possession, according to Lunov. "Ajax kept wide players and wing-backs on the touchline when playing in a three in possession in the first half," he explained. Speaking afterwards, Henderson admitted that Ajax had found it tough at times. "They're a good team and very well-organised," he said of the visitors, "and they hurt us on the counterattack a few times. But we're a very, very young team, we'll learn from our mistakes."
And, as Henderson added, thank to their two late goals – a 90th-minute penalty by Branco van den Boomen and an exquisite 97th-minute lob by Stephen Berghuis – they ended the night having "kept the tie alive".
Bodø/Glimt create chances with rapid transitions
Conference League tactical analysis: Bodø/Glimt chance creation
Bodø/Glimt maintained an attacking thrust throughout by using all five substitutions to counter fatigue. Clip one shows a major turning point in the game. Substitute Nino Žugelj breaks clear after another bout of patient build-up play in the 84th minute only to spurn the opportunity to make it 3-0. "If they score, the match is finished," concluded Lunov. "Arguably, the whole tie is over at 3-0."
Clip two shows Žugelj denied again, this time by a sliding tackle after a move started by Evjen dropping deep to receive from the goalkeeper and help beat the press with speed, the ball moving from defensive to attacking third in just six seconds.
The final clip illustrates the Norwegian champions’ potency on the counterattack noted by Henderson. Lunov praised it as a classic "quick transition" from a "compact position defending in their own box", adding: "They break through Ajax’s rest-defence shape and play forward quickly. It was typical of the clear desire to exploit Ajax in the transitional moment." The repertoire of effective transition moments was completed by Bodø/Glimt when Grønbæk grabbed his second goal after a successful high counterpressing action.
