Spurs stunned as Dutch minnows seize control of Champions League semi-final

Tottenham grew to become the newest membership to be shocked at residence to Ajax within the Champions League, struggling a dangerous 1-Zero defeat within the first leg of their semi-final.

Spurs have all of it to do in Amsterdam subsequent Wednesday after Donny Van de Beek grabbed an important away objective for the fearless guests with out reply.

Mauricio Pochettino’s males might’ve had a mountain to climb following a disastrous first-half throughout which they barely noticed the ball.

And whereas they steadied the ship after the break, the hosts failed to noticeably take a look at Andre Onana – and the absence of Heung-min Son and Harry Kane was notable.

However the very best likelihood of the second-half fell to Ajax’s David Neres, who got here inches from doubling the lead when he hit the publish late on, and that may show an important second forward of Son’s return for the second leg.

Questions will likely be requested of Spurs’ medical workforce after they allowed Jan Vertonghen to return to the sector after a nasty head injury.

The Belgium defender was given the all-clear by the medical doctors however was barely in a position to stroll moments later and was escorted off.

Erik Ten Hag’s side showed glimpses of exactly why they have beaten Real Madrid and Juventus en route to the last four as they cut Spurs open in the opening 20 minutes.

Spurs had home advantage and a vociferous support, with the acoustics of their fine new stadium fuelling a brilliant atmosphere, but that soon passed as Ajax assumed total control.

The hosts had hardly had a kick by the time they were sliced open by a brilliant passing move in the 15th minute.

It involved Lasse Schone and Hakim Ziyech, who slipped in Van De Beek and he had an age to pick his spot low past Hugo Lloris.

The objective survived a VAR verify for offside and it was virtually two eight minutes later however one other picturebook transfer, which noticed Dusan Tadic play Van De Beek in, was thwarted by the legs of Lloris.

Spurs’ night took one other flip for the more serious after Vertonghen suffered a head harm which left him bloodied and dazed and he might barely stroll down the tunnel after a courageous try to play on was short-lived.

That harm pressured the early introduction of Sissoko and that gave Spurs an additional dimension as they confirmed Ajax may very well be bought at with a direct strategy.

Lucas Moura brought about panic with a surging run into penalty space whereas Toby Alderweireld headed a very good likelihood over.

They carried on that momentum after the restart as Dele Alli, completely nameless within the first half, had a shot blocked then fired an instinctive first-time volley straight at Onana earlier than heading one other alternative over.

The sport had utterly modified as Ajax had begun to wrestle to deal with Tottenham’s physicality, however the residence facet simply lacked that high quality on the important second, making the questions Pochettino and Lucas needed to discipline earlier than the sport about who was going to attain totally pertinent.

For all their bluster, Spurs had been unable to pressure Onana right into a critical save and ultimately it was the woodwork that stored them within the tie.

A fast counter noticed Ajax work the ball throughout objective to Neres, however his side-footed shot hit the far publish and Spurs survived.

There was one final push to discover a leveller however it by no means regarded like coming, that means they’ve work to do in Amsterdam subsequent Wednesday.