Ajax beat Juventus to make first Champions League semi-finals in 22 years
Amsterdam football club Ajax has reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 22 years by beating Juventus 1-2 in the second leg of their quarter final tie.
Ajax, who had to go through three qualification rounds to make the main tournament, held Juventus to a home draw last week.
After a header by Ronaldo gave Juventus an early lead, Donny de Beek equalised for the visitors before the break and Ajax’ 19-year-old captain Matthijs de Ligt made it 1-2 in the 67th minute.
🇳🇱 Matthijs de Ligt becomes the youngest Dutch player to score in a #UCL knockout match since 1996 👏👏👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/fBGUvomhNE
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 16, 2019
Ajax earlier put out Real Madrid with an away win to clinch their quarter final spot.
‘It’s not a good way for a reporter to be, but I have to say I’m almost lost for words,’ Uefa reporter Derek Brookman said after the game. ‘You’d have to have a heart of stone not to warm to performances like this. With the emphasis on attacking combination football, this young side is a joy to behold.’
En ook in de Marktkantine gaat het dak eraf #juvaja https://t.co/XKSiaaBWvU pic.twitter.com/tOYXVP9uqq
— AT5 (@AT5) April 16, 2019
Matthijs de Ligt told Dutch television after the game: ‘Can we can go on to win the competition? Well, we are in the semi-finals now. And we have eliminated two of the favourites in the last two rounds. The next games will be very difficult, but so were these ones. So who knows?’
Ajax will take on either Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City in their quest for a place in the final.
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) April 16, 2019
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.
Make a donation