Oscar Gloukh Shines With Hat-Trick as Ajax Cruises Past Vojvodina in Conference League

Israeli midfielder Oscar Gloukh starred for Ajax on Thursday, scoring a second-half hat-trick to lead the Dutch club to a 4-1 victory over Vojvodina in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. Despite Ajax falling behind early, Davy Klaassen equalized before halftime, and Gloukh took control in the second half with three goals, earning a 9 rating from Voetbal International, the highest on his team.

Gloukh described his improved performance under new coach Mitchell as a result of a clearer, more attacking role closer to the striker. "Last season I played many positions, but now I have a defined role and know what to do," he said. He praised his connection with teammate Mika Choudhury, who assisted his first goal, and highlighted the support from Steven Berghuis, who assisted his second and helped him through a tough previous season.

The midfielder noted that the hat-trick was his second career treble, the first being with Red Bull Salzburg, and said the presence of fans made this one more special. He kept the match ball as a souvenir. Despite a rough first half that included a coach's reprimand for a poor pass, Gloukh bounced back strongly in the second half, with coach Mitchell calling his performance "fantastic".

Reflecting on last season's challenges, including three coaching changes at Ajax, Gloukh said the experience strengthened him mentally. Looking ahead, he emphasized the team's goal to win the league title, followed by his personal ambitions to score, assist, and help Ajax secure trophies this season.