AMSTERDAM (REUTERS) - Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen said they threw tactics out the window and relied on grit and heart to come back from 3-0 down on aggregate to beat Ajax Amsterdam on away goals and reach the Champions League final on Wednesday (May 8).
Having lost the first leg in London 1-0, Tottenham got off to the worst possible start in Amsterdam by going 2-0 down on the night.
The second leg turned on its head after halftime, however, as Lucas Moura scored twice in quick succession before netting a 96th minute effort to complete his hat-trick and make it 3-3 on aggregate.
"It was a non-tactical performance, it was more of a fight, more of a heart performance, and that's how we won it," Danish playmaker Eriksen told BT Sport.
"It was a ridiculous game. We were really far down, we tried to fight back and we're just lucky. I feel sorry for Ajax, they played a very good game against us.
"In the end we're just lucky we scored. It's a relief, because we've been fighting for this and I think it's a dream for everyone to be in the Champions League final."
The midfielder revealed that there was no great tactical change at halftime as Spurs simply rolled up their sleeves and went at Ajax in the second half.
"We weren't able to look ourselves in the mirror if we (were to) go down three or four nil today - we had to fight back, there was no other option," Eriksen said.
After Liverpool fought back from a 3-0 first-leg defeat to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate on Tuesday, the final will be an all-English affair.
LIVERPOOL INSPIRATION
Spurs defender Danny Rose said that he had taken inspiration from the Merseysiders.
Â
Â
Â
Â
"We saw Liverpool last night. It goes to show it's not over until it's over. Disappointed with the first leg, how we started and we started like that tonight. But after the break we came out," Rose said.
"The gaffer mentioned Liverpool's display at the hotel before the match - the gaffer doesn't mind us losing but we have to lose the right way."
Moura, however, was not prepared to let the match slip, and slotted the winner for Spurs deep in stoppage time.
"It's been a rollercoaster of a season. For him (Moura) to get us in the final, he'll be a hero. I hope he gets a statue in England after this ... I'm blown away, there's really no words for it," Eriksen said.
There was one major tactical shift that did play a crucial role in the victory, however. At half-time Pochettino took out midfielder Victor Wanyama and replaced him with Spanish forward Fernando Llorente.
Llorente, whose main asset is his height and strength in the air, placed himself on Ajax defender Daley Blind and that upset the solidity of the Dutch defence.
The Spaniard's presence caused confusion and created instability which Moura was able to exploit to the full.
With a big man as a focal point for the attack, Tottenham were able to take a more direct approach - with crosses from deep and in the latter stages, hopeful punts into the box.
Llorente would not have been on the field had Spurs' first choice striker Harry Kane been fit but the injured England captain was in the dressing room at the break and he said the focus was purely on effort.
"At half time we said it is 45 minutes to give everything... the lads dug deep, showed passion, showed character, showed heart and that is what it's all about," said Kane.
"Over the two legs we didn't play as well as we would have liked but we found a way to win," he added.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, in Amsterdam as a pundit for BT Sport, said the Llorente introduction had been key.
"Fernando Llorente - what a substitution. He stood on Daley Blind. Blind couldn't deal with him and the boys came up behind him."
Kane gives Spurs edge over Chelsea in League Cup. Harry Kane fired Tottenham a step closer to the League Cup final as his penalty sealed a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the semi-final first leg on
Harry Kane's penalty gives Spurs the edge over Chelsea
Brendan Rodgers took a step closer to a return to the Premier League on Tuesday when Celtic chiefs said they had allowed him to talk to Leicester City who on Sunday fired manager Claude Puel. Rodgers, 46, has not coached an English top flight team since Liverpool sacked him in October 2015.
Leicester City target Celtic's Rodgers to replace Puel
en.rfi.fr/sports/20190226-leicester-city-target-celtics-rodgers-replace-claude-puel
Brendan Rodgers took a step closer to a return to the Premier League on Tuesday when Celtic chiefs said they had allowed him to talk to Leicester City who on Sunday fired manager Claude Puel.
Leicester City target Celtic's Rodgers to replace Puel
A late-January data breach at Westminster College in Fulton did not affect student academic records or financial aid information, college officials confirmed on Saturday.The breach of employee
Financial Advisor IQ - Merrill Lynch Lawsuit Shows Fired
No room for complacency: The need for better cyber security No room for complacency Insurers need to create a smart balance between corporate opportunity and cyber
No room for complacency in Candystripes' League Cup defence
Queensway Seccondary School: Success through Diligence. ST Young Athlete of the Year: Passion and determination drive footballer Putri Nur Syaliza and ACS paddlers. One of our girls is excelling in the Girls Football scene and has been nominated for the ST Young Athlete of the Year award!
Home | ST Young Athlete
Soccer Football - Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - FC Porto v Liverpool - Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal - April 17, 2019 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match wit
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement: Juergen Klopp
Neymar is the Richest Footballer in the World see his net worth no.1, According to the list of 2019 Top 10 Most expensive football players in the World.
Football: Young Lions beaten, but not discouraged, after SPL
Football News - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his side have raised the standard of the English Premier League, after edging ahead of Liverpool in the title race with a 2-0 win at
Guardiola believes City have raised the standard of the
VALENCIENNES, France (REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN) - Barbara Bonansea scored twice to give Italy a surprise, last-gasp 2-1 victory against Australia in their opening Group C game at the women's football
Soccer: Italy upset Australia with Bonansea double - gcf-vn.org
Football: After goalie Casillas' heart attack, wife Sara says
Gordon Banks, the England football team's goalkeeper when they won the 1966 World Cup, died aged 81. His former club Stoke announced this on Tuesday (Feb 12) and Banks' family said he died
Football: Gordon Banks' illustrious career extended beyond
Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner leaves for China's Tianjin Teda after receiving 'a very attractive offer' Sandro Wagner has had a limited role at Bayern Munich under Niko Kovac
Bayern forward Wagner moves to Tianjin Teda - China.org.cn
Here are 10 tips for creating a youth ministry from scratch with Sticky Faith principles in mind: Gather a team and listen closely. In the Launch Kit we suggest that leaders start implementing Sticky Faith by assembling a team (any group with a stake in young people should be represented) and beginning a listening campaign.
3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don't Leave the Church
LILLE, France (Reuters) - Paris St Germain's Ligue 1 title celebrations were delayed again when they suffered an embarrassing 5-1 defeat by second-placed Lille after being reduced to 10 men on Sunday.
Ten-man PSG humiliated at Lille, made to wait for title - CNA
0 comments:
Post a Comment