Ajax demonstrated the gulf in class in the first leg a week ago and already have one foot in the next round, whilst for Vojvodina this looks set to be their final European match of the year.
It is unusual for Ajax to be fighting for a place in UEFA’s third-tier competition, and it is therefore clear that the gap between them and most teams in the qualifying rounds is enormous. Even after a few difficult years, the Sons of the Gods should not be underestimated, as we saw in the first leg.
Vojvodina suffered their third consecutive defeat in Europe, having first lost twice to Ferencvaros in the Europa League qualifiers. And at the weekend, they also suffered another heavy defeat to Crvena Zvezda in the Serbian top flight.
The team is completely out of form and will certainly regret these defeats, whilst any potential comeback would be nothing short of a miracle.
Ajax may field more reserves following last week’s thrashing, but it is also quite possible that they will field their usual starting line-up as a final warm-up before the start of the season in the Netherlands.
In any case, regardless of the starting line-up, I find it hard to believe they won’t give their all in their first official match of the season at the Johan Cruijff Arena.
How the bookies view it: More of the same Dutch dominance in the rematch
The bookmakers agree with our expectations, giving Ajax a clear advantage in the odds. At this point, it makes no sense at all to bet on a win, unless it’s combined with another bet in a bet builder.
You can back Ajax at 1/5, whilst Vojvodina are available at 10/1. If you think there’s a chance of a draw in the second leg, you can back that at 5/1.
Recent head-to-head: Ajax are still undefeated after three H2Hs
Last week saw the third clash between Ajax and Vojvodina in the last three years, following their meeting in the Europa League in 2024.
So far, the Dutch side have won all three matches, and last week they recorded their biggest victory against this opponent, winning 4–1.
Players to watch: Leonardo will be hoping for a dream home debut
Mika Godts was phenomenal in the first match, just as we’d come to expect throughout last season. He provided one assist and came very close to scoring a goal, but didn’t quite manage it.
He’ll be a key player in Ajax’s matches this year, but here in particular we’re going to focus on Marcos Leonardo, who is set to make his debut in an official Ajax match.
He played 45 minutes in the friendly against Burnley at the weekend, but we now expect him to be given full confidence and to show what he’s capable of.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Ajax: Paes, Wijndal, Blind, Bouwman, Rosa, Klaassen, Regeer, Gloukh, Carrizo, Leonardo, Godts
Vojvodina: Rosic, Sukacev, Petrovic, Crnomarkovic, Szucs, Nikolin, Kolarevic, Zukic, Djakovac, Randjelovic, Mulahusejnovic
Anything else catch the eye?
Anything other than a clean-sheet victory would be a surprise in this match, although Ajax are not strictly in need of a resounding win. Nevertheless, they will be playing at home for the first time this season and a good performance is important.
Another key factor is that Vojvodina are currently without a manager, following Miroslav Tanjga’s departure after last week’s defeat. No official replacement has yet been appointed, so we do not expect much from the visitors, who already suffered another loss under caretaker Ljubisa Dundjerski.
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