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."
Alexandre Lacazette scored the only goal as Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0 on Thursday to advance to the Europa League semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate.
Arsenal win in Napoli to reach Europa League semi-finals
Taking his seat 15 hours after the madness, Mauricio Pochettino still appeared to be coming to terms with Tottenham's dramatic European progress. 'We are all tired,' he said with a grin
Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur Project Must Continue
Singapore Football Young Lions beaten but impress new coach STREAK ENDS: Hougang United's (in green) win over the Courts Young Lions (in red), is their first since May 2013.
Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi is courting interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Villareal. The 17-year-old attacker is one of England's best players in his age group and has made four
Callum Hudson-Odoi: Chelsea 'confident' teen sensation will
Football: Milan draw another blank in Frosinone stalemate as
MANCHESTER, England (REUTERS) - Manchester City linchpin Bernardo Silva faces a late fitness test before Sunday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, his manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday
Guardiola to make late decision on Silva for Palace trip
Neville wants his Lionesses to be ruthless. England manager Phil Neville during a press conference in Nice, France, on June 8, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS. Published. 1 hour ago. More.
Phil Neville wants England to be ruthless in - thefa.com
Report Ad
Check Out Solskjaer on eBay. Fill Your Cart With Color Today!
SINGAPORE - Albirex Niigata, of all Singapore Premier League teams, should know about the importance of momentum. After all, they won their first 17 games in the 2018 season and scored in all 24 matches to complete their hat-trick of league titles.
2018 Home United FC season - Wikipedia
Gianluigi Buffon will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer after it was agreed to not renew the former Italy captain's contract, the French champions announced on Wednesday. World Cup winner
World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon to leave PSG | Football
Qatar Coach to 'Isolate' Team from Gulf Politics at AFC Asian Cup The tournament represents the first visit by the Qatari national side to the UAE since the beginning of a row that has transformed the Gulf and left Doha cut off from its neighbouring former allies.
Qatar coach to 'isolate' team from Gulf politics at Asian Cup
The Chelsea coach is reportedly poised to succeed Massimiliano Allegri and a potential switch to Turin could see the Italian champions raid his former club Napoli for star defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Tottenham Hotspur poised to receive £8.5m from Boris Johnson
Pele remains under "observation" in a Brazilian hospital, his doctors said Thursday, describing the three-time World Cup winner as "clinically stable". The latest update on the Brazilian football
Pele remains under 'observation' in Brazil hospital: doctors
Qatar will not take a decision on whether to expand its 2022 World Cup to 48 teams from 32 until it has seen the details of a feasibility study from FIFA, an official from the country's World Cup organising committee said on Monday.
FIFA scraps proposal to expand 2022 World Cup to 48 teams
0 comments:
Post a Comment