4 Things We Learned from Tottenham vs Ajax
May 1, 2019
Ajax defeated Tottenham 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
The goal came in the first half after Donny van de Beek latched on to Ziyech’s through ball.
Tottenham put up a solid performance in the second half to keep Ajax from extending their lead.
Here are four things we learned from Tottenham vs Ajax.
1. Tottenham was lackluster in attack
Tottenham was very poor offensively in the game against Ajax. This is no surprise because the team’s top scorer and main striker Harry Kane was injured. While South Korean forward Son Heung-min was on suspension. Thus, Tottenham was awfully short of quality up front.
Brazilian forward Lucas Moura started alongside Fernando Llorente in attack for Spurs, and they failed to convince.
Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, two of Tottenham’s creative players, were also lackluster in the game.
2. Ajax show how good they are
Ajax came into this game with memorable victories over defending champions Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo-led Juventus. However, many people still doubted the sheer quality of this young Ajax side.
Although they were away at Tottenham’s new stadium, Ajax played like they were the home team. Erik ten Hag’s side completely subdued Tottenham. Ajax’s players oozed with self-confidence, determination and will.
Ajax are four-time European champions and showed they have the quality and talent to make it all the way to the final.
3. Van der Beek is Ajax’s secret weapon
The only scorer of the game was a 22-year old attacking midfielder Van der Beek. He has shown how crucial he is to the Dutch side with this game. Before this goal, he scored the equalizer against Juventus.
Van der Beek played a key role in the creative build up and fluidity of so many of his team’s attacking moves throughout the match. He could also be seen tracking back to defend.
Although he might not get the same praises like his teammates, he remains Ajax’s secret weapon.
4. The tie is not yet over
Even though Ajax claimed a victory away to Tottenham, the margin was a very slim one. Ajax is also better away than at home, so Tottenham can still cause an upset there.
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This article is brought to us by our Sports Writers Club resident columnist – Collins Michael Nwokolo. Follow him on Twitter and Pinterest.
