Champions League: Ajax run Spurs ragged in first-half blitz as Donny van de Beek goal earns semi-final advantage
- Donny van de Beek strikes early on for 1-0 win in semi-final first leg
- Tottenham look lost early on with Dutch side forcing them to go route one
Without their two best players in Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Tottenham were played off the park by Ajax in a first-half blitz as the Dutch side taught Mauricio Pochettino’s men a football lesson.
Donny van de Beek’s early goal earned a 1-0 win in their Champions League semi-final first leg, Ajax laying siege to the home side’s goal in the opening half hour.
Spurs created chances in the second half but, realistically, Andre Onana was never really troubled in the Ajax goal.
Most worrying for Spurs is that, in the most important game of Pochettino’s reign, they were forced into abandoning their usual attacking game and going route one against the young, vibrant team that is taking Europe by storm.
Spurs were outfought and outthought in every department in the early stages – tactically, physically, mentally. They couldn’t get out of their own half for the first quarter of an hour, as Ajax played the ball around their box.