Ajax 2-0 Atalanta: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Europa Conference League Matchday 2 · Thursday 22 October 2026 · Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam · referee A. Carvalho Nobre · full time
Full time: Ajax 2-0 Atalanta
Ajax 2-0 Atalanta: Ajax took the points in Europa Conference League Matchday 2 on Thursday 22 October 2026 at Johan Cruijff Arena. The goals: Tolu Arokodare 87', Abdellah Ouazane 90+3'. Moneyball's pre-match estimate had the result right.
How Ajax won it
Tolu Arokodare put Ajax ahead in the 87th minute, set up by Youri Baas. Abdellah Ouazane made it 2-0 to Ajax in the 90th minute (+3), set up by Tolu Arokodare.
It was 0-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
The referee, A. Carvalho Nobre, showed 4 yellow cards: 2 to Ajax and 2 to Atalanta.
Ajax: M. Sánchez Muñoz, 4-2-3-1 · Atalanta: M. Sarri, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
A correct call on the result: 46% for an Ajax win before the match. The scoreline, 2-0, was not the estimate's first choice (1-1).
The goals dried up: the estimate expected about 3.4 and the match produced two.
Over 2.5 goals had been put at 66%; with 2 goals the under came in, against the way the estimate leaned.
Both teams to score was 67%; they did not both score, against the estimate.
Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-10-22, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.
Why it went this way
Ajax had 7 shots on target, Atalanta 1.
Atalanta's goalkeeper made 5 saves.
Ajax had 61% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Ajax came into it with 3 Europa Conference League matches played, scoring 3.0 and conceding 1.0 a match, with 3.02 expected goals for and – against, and had won 67% of their matches.
Atalanta came into it with 3 Europa Conference League matches played, scoring 1.3 and conceding 1.3 a match, with 1.70 expected goals for and – against, and had won 33% of their matches.
Ajax vs Atalanta: the match in numbers
| Ajax | Match statistics | Atalanta |
|---|---|---|
| 61% | Ball possession | 39% |
| 21 | Total shots | 16 |
| 7 | Shots on target | 1 |
| 2 | Big chances | 1 |
| 659 | Total passes | 423 |
| 92% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
| 8 | Corners | 9 |
| 8 | Fouls | 8 |
| 2 | Offsides | 1 |
| 15 | Tackles | 10 |
| 1 | Saves | 5 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Lucas Rosa (Ajax), rated 8.2 by Sportmonks.
Ajax
- Lucas Rosa 8.2
- Tolu Arokodare 7.9 1 goal, 1 assist
- Youri Baas 7.7 1 assist
- Julian Brandt 7.5
- Oscar Gloukh 7.3
Atalanta
- Marco Carnesecchi 7.3
- Gianluca Gaetano 7.3
- Gianluca Scamacca 6.9
- Nicola Zalewski 6.9
- Davide Zappacosta 6.9
The lowest-rated starter was Eljif Elmas at 6.5. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Ajax: Ajax vs ADO Den Haag Sunday 22 November 2026 · Eredivisie
- Atalanta: Atalanta vs Inter Sunday 22 November 2026 · Serie A
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Ajax vs Atalanta
What was the score in Ajax vs Atalanta?
Ajax 2-0 Atalanta (half-time 0-0), Europa Conference League, Thursday 22 October 2026.
Who scored in Ajax vs Atalanta?
Tolu Arokodare 87', Abdellah Ouazane 90+3'.
Did Moneyball predict Ajax vs Atalanta correctly?
A correct call on the result: 46% for an Ajax win before the match. The scoreline, 2-0, was not the estimate's first choice (1-1).
Who was man of the match in Ajax vs Atalanta?
Lucas Rosa, rated 8.2 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Ajax vs Atalanta?
A. Carvalho Nobre.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball is a football statistics site. No model predicts football reliably: every figure is an estimate.