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."
The reports alleged that Manchester City had broken Financial Fair Play regulations by inflating the value of a multimillion-pound sponsorship deal. and who could also soon face a transfer ban
Manchester City could be transfer banned for a year, and that
Gattuso has made many mistakes but let's not forget the squad he has.Milan failed to address their biggest problem which was the absence of a top left winger to take pressure of Suso.They even
Football: Australian Joe Palatsides set to replace Belgian Michel Sablon as FAS' new technical director
FA Singapore set to announce former Australia international
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says his players are "still in a dream" after reaching the Champions League semi-finals in dramatic fashion but expects his side to be ready for
Spurs 'still in a dream' after Man City win, says Pochettino
Football: Qatar coach to 'isolate' team from Gulf politics at Asian Cup Qatar's coach Felix Sanchez Bas looks on during a training session as his team prepares for the 2019 edition of the AFC
Watch: Qatar coach to 'isolate' team from Gulf politics at
But then the rank insubordination from Kepa — however Chelsea may try to paint it. Alamy Live News Roman Abramovich, pictured at a performance of The Nutcracker in Moscow, has a choice to make over Maurizio Sarri's future Reuters Why wasn't senior defender David Luiz backing Maurizio Sarri in the Kepa Arrizabalaga sub row?
'How could he do that?' Maurizio Sarri's outburst at Kepa
Solskjaer hails character of players despite winning run coming to an end Last updated: 30 January 2019 - 12.06am Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United delivered an emphatic response to anyone who questioned their battling qualities after a stirring fightback against Burnley.
"This is the ideal storm for Mars science," said Jim Watzin, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "We have a historic number of spacecraft operating at the Red Planet.
NewsNow: Video Assistant Referees news | Breaking News 24/7
The citizens groups are livid that despite all their lobbying for the past four years, the central government's decision on the Metro route has given their areas a miss.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz barred from leaving country over
Solskjaer extends perfect record as Man United beat Newcastle Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joined Matt Busby in the Manchester United record books on Wednesday as his inspirational decision to bring on Romelu Lukaku as a substitute paid immediate dividends in a 2-0 victory against Newcastle.
Solskjaer will break incredible Guardiola record if Man
United will attack PSG, vows Solskjaer, Football News & Top
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen