Conference League: Ajax thrash Midtjylland as Brighton beat Getafe

Ajax produced the standout performance of Thursday's UEFA Conference League action, thrashing Midtjylland 6-1 away from home. Brighton also claimed an important victory, beating Getafe 1-0 in Spain, while CSKA Sofia suffered a 2-1 defeat against Panathinaikos in Athens.

Ajax dominated their meeting with Midtjylland, scoring six goals to secure one of the most emphatic wins of the third matchday. The Dutch side continued their European campaign in impressive fashion, leaving the Danish hosts with little chance of recovering.

Brighton secured a valuable away victory against Getafe, with Malick Yalcouye scoring the decisive goal in the 64th minute. The midfielder headed home off the crossbar to give the Seagulls a 1-0 win. Fabian Hurzeler's side also maintained their impressive defensive record, having yet to concede in the competition this season.

There was disappointment for CSKA Sofia, who lost 2-1 away to Panathinaikos. The Bulgarian side were unable to take points from their trip to Athens, as the Greek hosts secured another victory in the league phase.

Crvena Zvezda also claimed three points, defeating Inter Escaldes 2-1, while Monaco continued their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Nordsjaelland. Freiburg recorded a narrow 1-0 away win against Trabzonspor, and Copenhagen edged Iberia Tbilisi 2-1.

Elsewhere, Twente beat Pafos 3-1, Lugano defeated Kauno Zalgiris 3-0 and Universitatea Craiova overcame Egnatia 2-0. Mjallby also recorded a 2-0 victory against Borac, while Thun beat Hearts 3-1.

The remaining fixtures produced several closely contested encounters. Atalanta and Kairat Almaty shared the points in a 1-1 draw, as did Aarhus and Braga. KuPS Kuopio and Gent played out a goalless stalemate, while Sint-Truiden and Brann finished 1-1. Lincoln Red Imps claimed a 1-0 victory over Hajduk Split, and Riga drew 1-1 with Jablonec.

The third matchday once again delivered plenty of drama, with Ajax making the biggest statement of the evening and Brighton continuing their strong start to the competition.