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Ajax coach Erik ten Hag praised his young lions after the Dutch club moved within touching distance of the Champions League final after a deserved 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.
Donny van de Beek ‘s well-taken 15th minute goal put Ajax firmly in the driving seat against a disappointing Spurs side who face a tough task to turn around the semi-final in next week’s second leg in Amsterdam.
“A fantastic achievement. We fought like lions,” Ten Hag said. “We are halfway there and in good shape. The willpower was very nice to see.”
Having beaten holders Real Madrid and fellow European giants Juventus on the way to their first Champions League semi-final since 1997, Ajax again showed why so many of their squad are attracting attention from some of the continent’s biggest clubs.
Van de Beek was superb and even overshadowed Barcelona-bound fellow midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while 19-year-old captain Matthijs de Ligt showed maturity beyond his years to marshall the defence as Tottenham improved after the break.
Show all 23 1 /23Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax We run the rule over the two teams after a tough night for Tottenham.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Hugo Lloris − 6 Was left utterly helpless for Ajax’s first goal, with his defence akimbo and Donny van de Beek breathing down his neck. Made a very smart stop to deny the same player just moments later.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Toby Alderweireld − 6 Struggled in the very early stages, as did every player in white. But improved after Jan Vertonghen’s nasty head injury, which forced Spurs to switch to playing four at the back.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Davinson Sanchez − 6 Like Toby Alderweireld, improved immeasurably after the tactical switch. Was kept busy in a nervy first-half, although did do very well to twice catch up with threatening Ajax counter-attacks.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Jan Vertonghen − 6 Bravely attempted to battle on after a nasty clash of heads with team-mate Toby Alderweireld left him looking like a considerably better groomed Terry Butcher. Wisely substituted himself and appeared to be in danger of collapsing on the touchline, although fortunately made a recovery in the Tottenham dressing room.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Kieran Trippier − 5 Tottenham’s three at the back system was designed to protect Kieran Trippier’s flaws, but he made an inauspicious start to this match, playing Donny van de Beek onside for Ajax’s opener. Didn’t get much better and overhit a number of passes in the second-half, which resulted in a chorus of groans.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Victor Wanyama − 5 What a player he was before his knee unfortunately crumbled to dust at the start of last season. In fairness he began to get a grip on the game after a painfully shaky start, but he remains a weakness.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Christian Eriksen − 6 A difficult night for the Dane, who was often caught in two minds over whether to remain alongside Victor Wanyama in Tottenham’s midfield or glide forward. Did get much better in the second-half, although he is capable of much, much more. Spurs will need him to step up in Amsterdam.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Dele − 6 Has been running on empty for at least a fortnight now. Like the vast majority of Tottenham’s players, improved after the tactical switch and had a good chance to equalise at the start of the second-half, instead wastefully heading over the bar. He deserves some time off, to be frank.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Danny Rose − 5 He just cannot resist diving in, can he? Woefully disorganised in the opening exchanges and could have been sent off for petulantly lashing out at Joel Veltman. Bombed forward well but not his greatest night.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Lucas Moura − 5 Barely noticed he was playing. Kept exceptionally quiet by Ajax’s kindergarteners at the back.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Fernando Llorente − 5 In many ways, the quintessential Fernando Llorente performance. Ugly, gutsy, clumsy, ever so slightly amusing and not especially that effective: tried hard but spurned one of Tottenham’s best chances when he headed wide under little pressure in the first-half.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Andre Onan − 6 Didn’t have an awful lot to do. Difficult to think of what to write really, so here are some stats: 2 clearances, 16 passes, 15 of which were long balls. Interesting! Also did his fair share of time-wasting, the rotter.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Joel Veltman − 6 Spent much of this match in a petty two-man war with Danny Rose. When he wasn’t pulling the full-back’s shirt or himself being dragged back he was effective going forward, combining nicely with the standout Donny van de Beek.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Daley Blind − 7 The veteran Dutchman enjoyed a successful return to England. Marking Fernando Llorente isn’t an especially onerous task but he did it well enough, and his pace helped him keep Lucas Moura equally quiet on the rare occasions Spurs were able to counter-attack.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Matthijs de Ligt − 7 Matthjis de Ligt is nineteen. Nineteen! The youngest ever player to captain his team in a Champions League semi-final was suitably composed this evening, keeping Fernando Llorente quiet and impressing with his silky smooth passing range.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Nicolas Tagliafico − 6 Booked for rashly diving in on Christian Eriksen when the rest of Ajax’s defence were well positioned. Solid apart from that.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Lasse Schone − 7 A wonderfully workmanlike performance in the middle of the two child geniuses either side of him. Three tackles. One clearance. One interception. He is the oil which keeps this impossibly slick Ajax team running so very smoothly.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Frenkie De Jong − 8 Hard to believe he is just 21-years-old, when he plays with all the languid composure of Xavi winding down his career at Al Saad in the Qatar Stars League. Everything comes so naturally to him. Had a field day against the statuesque Victor Wanyama: no player completed more passes.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Hakim Ziyech − 8 To describe his defence-bisecting through ball as merely an ‘assist’ does it a disservice. In reality it was as effective and aesthetically pleasing as a goal, putting it on a plate for Donny van de Beek to open the scoring.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Donny van de Beek − 8 Took his goal wonderfully well, holding the line and then waiting nervelessly for Hugo Lloris to make his move. Almost doubled Ajax’s advantage just a few moments later.
Action Images via Reuters
Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax David Neres − 6 Gave Kieran Trippier a thoroughly uncomfortable evening, pinning the Englishman back for long periods and thoroughly ruining Mauricio Pochettino’s three at the back gameplan.
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Player ratings: Spurs vs Ajax Dusan Tadic − 7 What on earth have Ajax done with the inconsistent maverick that so frustrated Southampton supporters for four seasons? Played his part in the opening goal and was an entertainingly buzzy presence throughout.
UEFA via Getty Images
Had David Neres not been denied by the post late on Ajax’s position would look impregnable, but Ten Hag knows the job is not yet completed.
“I think it’s an excellent result for us. We won the game. We are satisfied. We have a very good starting point, but we’re only halfway through,” he told reporters.
“We can play football in different styles. We can defend very well. We have a team that works together really well; they can fight together really well.”
The 22-year-old Van de Beek said he still expected a tough battle next week in the Johan Cruyff stadium.
“The first 30 minutes were good but we found it tough after that. They changed things up and we had difficulty dealing with that,” he said. “The second half was really a battle.
Daley Blind and Matthijs De Ligt applaud the Ajax fans (Reuters) “It will be a tough game next week in the Arena, but with our own supporters behind us it will certainly be a huge boost to reach the final.
“We have to develop a good tactical plan so we can play like we did in the first 30 minutes this evening.”
Reuters
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