Ajax’s improbable European run seemed set to go on all the way to the final as they led 3-2 on aggregate deep in stoppage time in the second leg of the semi-final at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
An emotional Mauricio Pochettino called his Tottenham Hotspur players “super-heroes” after they reached the Champions League final for the first time in their history as a Lucas Moura hat-trick saw them come back from the dead to beat Ajax on Wednesday and leave the Dutch side heartbroken.
“It is one of the most important nights in my life,” said Pochettino, who was in tears at full-time. “The most important thing is to congratulate my players. They did a great job.”I think they are super-heroes now. To have brought the club to the final of the Champions League is very close to a miracle.”
The Ajax players slumped to the turf as his deciding goal went in, their fans stunned as they fell short of a first final since 1996. A quickfire brace by Lucas early in the second half gave them something to cling to, before he struck the decisive blow. Spurs did threaten an immediate reply as a Son Heung-min cross hit the near post, but Ajax escaped and came again, a Tadic shot that fizzed just wide acting as a prelude for what was to follow in the 35th minute.
They scored their first in the 55th minute, Lucas combining with Dele Alli and slotting low past Onana.
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