Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare featured for the full 90 minutes as Ajax suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Hajduk Split in their UEFA Conference League opener at Stadion Poljud on Thursday. Despite controlling 57% of possession, the Dutch giants struggled to break down a resilient and disciplined Hajduk defense, with Arokodare serving as a constant physical threat up front and registering three shots over the course of the match.
Hajduk struck first in the 37th minute when Marin Šotiček dispossessed Davy Klaassen in midfield and laid off a precise pass to Abdoulie Sanyang, who fired a low right-footed shot past the keeper. Ajax found an equalizer shortly after the interval as Davy Klaassen made amends for his earlier error, rifling a low cross from Thilo Kehrer into the roof of the net.
However, their parity lasted barely two minutes as Michele Šego pounced on a loose backpass and squared it to Marin Šotiček, who calmly finished past the recovering defense to restore the hosts’ lead. Arokodare led a late charge for an equalizer, driving the Ajax attack, but the Croatian league leaders held firm to claim a famous victory, their first in the main stage of a major European competition in over 16 years.