Epic redefined

We’ve heard of epic Champions League comebacks before. Liverpool outlasting AC Milan in the 2005 final. AS Roma doing the improbable against FC Barcelona in last year’s quarterfinal.

And just last Wednesday, Liverpool, summoning the spirit of 2005 after being given up for dead, shocked the football universe with a 4-0 drubbing, again, at Barca’s expense, at Anfield to overturn a 3-0 semifinal deficit at Camp Nou.

And just as we’ve thought we’ve seen every single comeback permutation there is in football, Tottenham Hotspur, in the other decisive semifinal clash against Ajax Amsterdam, redefined the meaning of epic anew.

It wasn’t so bad when Tottenham lost 1-0 at home to Ajax in the first leg, as such a small lead from an away goal can be methodically overturned with ease.

But things took a turn for the worse when the Spurs conceded two early goals in the first half at the Amsterdam Arena. Matthijs de Ligt headed a goal off a corner on the fifth minute, while Hakim Ziyech added another with a one-touch finish from a tight angle in the 35th.

With their team leading 3-0 on aggregate with an away goal to boot, Ajax fans thought that a trip to Madrid was in the bag. “Ajax are on their way to the Champions League final!” screamed the commentator.

But Tottenham manager Mouricio Pochettino and his team weren’t about to raise the white flag just yet. Led by Lucas Moura, Delle Alli and Son Heung-min, the Spurs pressed for that crucial away goal.

While Son relentlessly pestered the Ajax defense with attempts that bear malice, it was Moura who struck dagger after dagger after dagger into the heart of the host’s defense.

It took Moura 55 minutes to finally beat Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana after controlling a pass from a sprinting Dele Alle off a counter, before adding one more four minutes later following a mad scramble in the box.

Unlike Barca that fell asleep in the second half against Liverpool, Ajax tried to avoid the Catalonians’ fate by trying to pad their lead and came really close a few times.

At the end of regulation time, the score stood at 3-2 on aggregate in favor of Ajax, which only had to keep it that way to advance. Five long minutes of added time ticked as nerves frayed bit by bit, but before the referee could blow the final whistle, Moura, on the 95:01 mark got a foot to the ball first and gave the goalkeeper no chance, completing a hat trick and a miraculous comeback for Tottenham.

Ajax and its fans must be inconsolable at this very moment. But Ajax manager Erik ten Hag’s young team bears promise.

For now, the spotlight will be on Liverpool and Tottenham as they travel to Madrid for the penultimate match, following unforgettable epic semifinal performances. At this point, none of the two clubs has a defining edge.

What is sure though is that three weeks from now, an English club, after seven long years, will be crowned champions of Europe once again.

We were so close, we had so deserved it, but that last second. ERIK TEN HAG

Ajax manager