Van puts Ajax in the driving seat with winner.. but it’s not over yet for Spurs

THE dream is still alive for Mauricio Pochettino after a night when it could so easily have been over.

Defeat could have been far worse and yet no-one should make the mistake of writing off this Tottenham team, especially in the Champions League when they have been at their best with the odds stacked against them.

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek got the winner, they had big chances to score at least two more and, for long periods of the first half, they completely bossed Tottenham.

You could see the frustration etched on Pochettino’s face on the touchline as all his prematch talk about dreams and rewriting history was being picked apart by Ajax’s slick, wonderful passing football.

But Tottenham hung on in there and battled, and from the shocking sight of Jan Vertonghen going off with concussion came new hope with Moussa Sissoko whose performance as a substitute gave them drive and hope.

Next week they will have Heung- Min Son back from suspension. And, having scored three at Manchester City in the quarter- finals, it would be foolish to think they won’t score in Amsterdam even if Ajax’s jubilant fans finished the night bouncing in the away end. The Dutch club had won at Real Madrid and Juventus and came to London with the same fearless philosophy.

Tottenham’s midfield were left chasing shadows, unable to keep up with Ajax’s slick movement and beautiful passing triangles.

It was little wonder they won in Madrid and Turin, Ajax are simply a joy to watch.

Van de Beek and Frankie de Jong were brilliant in midfield, they linked up with their forward line and Tottenham just could not get a handle on them.

When the goal came after 15 minutes, it had been coming. Hakim Ziyech’s clever throughball played in Van de Beek who ghosted in between two defenders, was unmarked and onside thanks to Kieran Trippier not keeping a defensive line.

Van de Beek was composed enough to take his time, let keeper Hugo Lloris commit himself and the Dutch REFEREE: midfielder picked his spot in the far corner. It was no more than they deserved.

Pochettino had been left without Harry Kane and Harry Winks through injury, and Son through suspension and his midfield looked pedestrian and Victor Wanyama in particular was struggling.

Sure enough, Ajax should have had a second after 24 minutes when Dusan Tadic’s lovely through-ball played in Van de Beek who was denied by a smart save from Lloris.

The game changed dramatically though when Vertonghen went off – and maybe the incident will embarrass football’s authorities to do something about concussion.

Vertonghen went up for a header, Ajax keeper Andre Onana came rushing out and wiped out the Spurs defender as he punched the ball away.

Vertonghen was left with blood streaming from his nose, looked shaky and yet , inexplicably, was allowed to carry on after treatment.

He lasted less than two minutes before almost collapsing, he looked as if he was going to be sick before being helped down the tunnel.

On came Sissoko, Spurs went to a back four and it was the substitute’s drive and power from midfield which suddenly got the home side back in it.

Sissoko saw a drive fly just wide, Dele Alli hit a powerful volley straight at Onana after the restart and, from a position when Pochettino was happy to still be in the contest, they found a new lease of life and put Ajax on the back foot.

Tottenham kept pressing, they never gave up and yet it was Ajax who came closest to scoring another when David Neres’ low shot hit the post with Lloris beaten.

It was a big let-off which just about keeps Spurs alive.