Playing for 90
Fansided

Lucas Moura marches Spurs to a Champions League final

By Adam Daniels

11th December 2018, Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain; UEFA Champions League football, Barcelona versus Tottenham Hotspur; Lucas Moura of Tottenham celebrates scoring his side's first goal in the 85th minute with Erik Lamela (photo by Eric Alonso/Action Plus via Getty Images)
11th December 2018, Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain; UEFA Champions League football, Barcelona versus Tottenham Hotspur; Lucas Moura of Tottenham celebrates scoring his side's first goal in the 85th minute with Erik Lamela (photo by Eric Alonso/Action Plus via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Tottenham Hotspur faced Ajax in the second leg of their semi-final away from home on Tuesday night looking to book their place in a Champions League Final.

Ajax brought a 1-0 away win against the English club back to the Johan Cryuff Arena. Tottenham had it all to do, to try overcome this very young but yet very talented Ajax side.

Ajax started the better of the two sides and looked the most likely to be in the Champions League Final, with numerous half chances in the opening stages of the match. It only took Matthijs de Ligt 5 minutes to head a Lasse Schone corner into the back of the Spurs net. It came after Kieran Trippier was the player sent to mark the dangerous Dutch defender as Tottenham adopted a zonal marking tactic.

More from Tottenham Hotspur

After conceding the goal Spurs started to come slowly into the fixture knowing now that they would need 2 goals to send them through. Heung Min Son’s cross rattles the near post and an Eriksen at full stretch could not get a good enough contact to put it into the back of the net.

Ajax still controlled the majority of the first half and looked very dangerous on the counter and eventually, they did find a second. Tadic breaks into the Tottenham penalty area and plays a ball along the floor to Ziyech, who strikes an out swinging shot past Hugo Lloris and into the French man’s goal.

Tottenham came out the second half with it all to do. The only way they would go through is if they scored 3 and conceded none. Pochettino adopted a different style for the second half, bringing on Llorente for Wanyama,  who may have been carrying a small knock from a previous challenge.

Llorente was the man who changed the game for Tottenham who started the better of the second half, putting Ajax under pressure and taking more control of the game.

Tottenham were right back in this tie after Dele Alli played a smart ball between two Ajax players. Lucas Moura showed sheer determination to get on the end of it and slot it home past Onana, to give Tottenham even a glimmer of hope.

It wasn’t long before Moura grabbed his second of the night. Llorente missed a fantastic chance from a Trippier cross, but could only direct the shot at Onana. The clearance fell to Moura. The Brazilian showed great footwork to get away from 4 Ajax players, and squeezed his shot through a crowded penalty area and into the net.

Tottenham pushed for the last 30 mins and looked like they were going to snatch a late winner when Jan Vertonghen hits the bar from a free header. It looked as though Ajax would be heading to the Champions League final until Tottenham found the breakthrough they ultimately deserved from their second-half performance.

Dele again weights a beautiful pass between two Ajax defenders and once again the determination of Moura to get on the end of the pass and coolly pas it past Onana and send Tottenham to Madrid on June 1st

Spurs book their place in the Champions League Final

Credit has to go to Ajax who has been such a superb side in the Champions League this season, knocking out both Real Madrid and Juventus. It is a team that Johan Cryuff would certainly have been proud of. A young and energetic side who had enough experience mixed in with some fantastic youth players. The sad fact is, that Ajax team will not be the same again next year. Frenkie de Jong is joining Barcelona in the summer and I’m sure others will be leaving the Dutch giants with interest building from top clubs from around Europe.

Nothing can be taken away from Tottenham. They should fantastic heart and desire to come from 3 goals down and to qualify. Tottenham now face Liverpool in Madrid on June 1st and all eyes focus their attention on the fitness of Harry Kane.

The Englishman faces a battle to be fit for the final in Madrid. With just under a month to go to the final, it is looking favorable for the English striker to return for the clubs final game of the 2018/19 season.

Next. Harry Kane deserves to be Spurs captain. dark

Who do you think will win the Champions League this season?

Home/Tottenham Hotspur