For much of the opening spell, this looked like a match Ajax had under control. They scored first, kept Vojvodina under pressure and produced chance after chance, but the game changed when Vojvodina found a way back into it. That equalizer did more than level the scoreline: it shifted the tone of the first leg in the second round of Conference League qualifying.
Ajax struck in the 3rd minute through Klasen, and by 20:17 Rosić had already made five saves while Ajax had taken 10 shots. That tells the story of the early balance, or lack of it. Vojvodina were spending long stretches defending, while Ajax kept pushing forward and testing the home side’s resistance.
How Vojvodina found their response
The breakthrough for Vojvodina came at 20:20, when Sukačev headed in the equalizer after an excellent cross from Barosa. It was not a goal that arrived from sustained control, but it was a sharp reminder that one clean attack can reset a match even when the bigger numbers lean the other way.
Before that moment, Vojvodina had shown some signs of life. At 20:04, Barosa tried from distance after a scramble in Ajax’s penalty area. Later, Bergvajs saw a left-footed attempt deflect over the crossbar, and Kasper Dolberg headed from close range but was denied by Rosić. By then, Ajax had been the more threatening team, but Vojvodina had done enough to stay within reach.
Siniša Tanjga’s foul on Mika Godsta and the public caution at 20:15 also underscored how much the match was being played on Ajax’s terms. Yet football can turn quickly, and once Vojvodina equalized, the contest became more open. At 20:27, they even had another chance after Ajax lost the ball in a dangerous area.
The key question from here is not simply whether Vojvodina can survive the pressure, but whether they can make Ajax uncomfortable for longer stretches. The early evidence says Ajax were still the more complete side, but the equalizer showed that the tie was no longer one-sided. In a qualifying match like this, that is a meaningful shift.
Vojvodina did not need to dominate to change the mood of the game. They only needed one header, one accurate cross and one moment of composure. Sukačev provided the finish, and suddenly Vojvodina Novi Sad Vs Ajax had a very different feel.
