Ajax managed a 0-3 away win against Qarabag FK in their third Europa League tie, but Dutch punters criticised the Amsterdammers’ weak performance.

Qarabag, currently on top in the Azerbaijan league, were down to 10 men and then to nine, after red cards for Júlio Romão and Elvin Cafarquliyev. Match report

Ajax now have seven points from three games in the new look Europa League, after a 4-0 win over Besiktas and a 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague.

The Amsterdammers next meet Tel-Aviv at home on November 7.

There was less good news for both AZ and Twente, who both lost their games.

AZ put up a strong fight against a weakened Tottenham Hotspur in London, only to lose 1-0. “We should have left here with at least point,” said AZ striker Ernest Poku after the game. “There was a lot more in this game than a defeat.” Match report

AZ next meet Fenerbahçe on November 6.

FC Twente, who earlier managed to draw 1-1 against both Manchester United and Fenerbahçe, lost their third Europa League dual 0-2 to Italian side Lazio.

Racism

The match in Enschede became embroiled in a racism row towards the end, when parts of the crowd began chanting about Lazio player Loum Tchaouna, who made a complaint to the referee. Match report

Lazio confirmed later that  Tchaouna was subjected to racist abuse and that he was substituted because “he was not in the right mindset” to continue.

Twente will meet Nice on November 7.

In the new set up, there are no groups and all 36 teams play eight matches, four at home and four away. Their opponents are picked by computer.

The results are then compiled into a ranking and the best eight will go forward automatically to the round of 16. The teams ranked 9 to 24 will then play each other to determine the other eight.

The losers will then be out of the competition and will not move down to the Conference League, as in the past. Champions League losers will not move down to the Europa League either.