Dragon Feeds
“We’ll never win a trophy”, “So annoying”: Some Tottenham fans frustrated after 1-0 loss to Ajax + Match report
Tottenham Hotspur vs Ajax report: Tottenham match report
Tottenham lost their second game in a row at their new home after a 1-0 defeat to Ajax in the semifinals of the Champions League on Thursday. Donny van de Beek’s first strike was enough for the Dutch side to take home a valuable away goal to the second-leg.
The hosts saw all of the ball in the early exchanges of the game but failed to penetrate Ajax’s solid midfield. Ajax’s pressing immediately swayed the momentum in their favour and Donny van de Beek winning the ball off of Sanchez set them on the attack but the Colombian did well to recover.
Ajax dominated the possession in the next few minutes and Spurs struggled to even get a sniff off the ball. Their lack of possession cost them in the 14th minute after Donny van de Beek got on the end of a wonderfully disguised pass. And his right-footed shot comfortably beat Lloris to give them the lead.
The visitors continued to dominate and looked threatening on the attack with David Neres’ pace a clear outlet for them. Ajax had over 73% possession at the 20th-minute mark and looked like they were at home.
Ajax almost finished off a beautiful move after Van de Beek dummied a ball into the path of Tadic who set the Dutchman through on the left but instead of squaring it back, he had a pop at goal which was saved well by Lloris.
Tottenham’s first chance of the game came in the 26th minute from Eriksen’s freekick but Llorente’s header was well off target. Spurs suffered a huge blow after a clash of heads between Vertonghen and Alderweireld saw the former badly hurt.
Vertinghen looked hugely uncomfortable with the knock to his face and was momentarily replaced by Sissoko. The break in play swayed the momentum to Tottenham’s favour as Lucas Moura began to find some space to run into.
The Brazilian evaded a couple of defenders to make his way into the box but a last-ditch tackle from Veltman helped the visitors keep their lead. Alderweireld had a massive chance to level the score but his free header went over the bar.
Ajax preserved their lead despite a late flurry of attacks from the hosts and went in to the break as the better side.
Tottenham started off the second half just like they ended the first – with full of energy. Sissoko’s introduction had a positive impact on Spurs’ midfield, especially after being dominated in that area by Ajax before his arrival.
Tagliafico had a pop at goal from 25 yards but his shot very narrowly missed the target. Ajax failed to deal with a ball in their own box as Llorente and Moura battled for it before the ball fell into the path of Alli, whose shot was saved comfortably by Onana.
Alli had another chance a few minutes later after he got himself at the end of a decent cross from Trippier but his header went over the bar. Spurs looked a different side compared to the first half and dominated the possession.
Ajax remained resilient in defence despite spending a lot of time off the ball but Spurs lacked that final ball to cause them any considerable trouble. Ajax almost doubled their lead after Tadic slipped a ball into the path of Neres but the forward’s shot rattled off the post. Huge let of for Spurs there.
Ben Davies and Juan Foyth replaced Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier for the last 10 minutes of the game. Alderweireld had another chance off Eriksen’s freekick but the Belgian, like in the first half, failed to hit the target.
Ajax managed to hold on to their lead despite immense pressure from the hosts and they take a hugely valuable away goal back to the Johan Cryuff Arena. The second half display should fill Spurs with confidence ahead of their trip to Amsterdam next week though.
Here’s how some Spurs fans reacted to the result:
Chelsea Dragon
Chelsea star to face five Sweden team-mates in Women’s League Cup Final as winger warns friend becomes ‘enemy’
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd will be outnumbered on Sunday when Chelsea meets Manchester United in the Women’s League Cup final. As one half of Chelsea’s Swedish contingent alongside Nathalie Björn, Rytting Kaneryd is fully aware of the threat her team are up against with United’s squad containing five of her national teammates.
Fridolina Rolfo, Julia Zigiotti Olme, Anna Sandberg, Hanna Lundkvist, and Ellen Wangerheim are all players Rytting Kaneryd knows well. Zigiotti Olme, United’s dominant midfielder, brought in from Bayern Munich last summer, is her closest friend.
Hell No When Asked About Flying Into Tackles
Does that mean she will be more reluctant to fly into tackles? “Hell no. When you’re in your zone and you’re in the game,you don’t really think. Even if it’s one of my best friends, she’s not going to be my best friend when we play against each other,” the winger tells Daily Mail Sport.
She added, “Obviously she knows how I play, and I know how she plays, so I’m just going to have to be extra on it and try to do everything I can to not be an easy player to face.”
More Important Than Ever This Season
Given the need for momentum heading into the final stretch of the season, the League Cup is being treated with the utmost respect by the holders. “It’s more important than ever. We still have four trophies to compete for, but as it looks now, these three trophies are probably the closest ones, so it’s a very important cup to win,” Rytting Kaneryd said.
She continued, “We always want to win everything we compete in, so especially now with everything that’s been happening lately, this will be a great motivation for all of us.”
Also read: Chelsea and Lionesses Star Lauren James Reveals Why She’s Often ‘Misunderstood’
Chelsea Dragon
Manchester United Women Star Pinpoints Unique Reason for Success as Red Devils Prepare for First Ever League Cup Final
Manchester United Women will face Chelsea in their first ever League Cup final on Sunday. The Red Devils will be aiming to win their second trophy in their history after their FA Cup victory in 2024 with summer signing Fridolina Rolfo one of the reasons behind United’s success this season.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, the Swede was asked how she felt about reaching a final in her first season at the club. “It feels great. We’ve been having a great season so far, and now reaching a final, it feels absolutely amazing. We are super excited because it’s these games you want to play, so we’re really looking forward to it,” Rolfo retorted.
Team Spirit Something Unique
One of the factors behind United’s success, which is frequently brought up, is that of the team spirit in the camp. Rolfo was also keen to address this and elaborated, “I would say that the team spirit is something unique and something we bring out with us on the pitch as well. We always work hard for each other, we push ourselves in training and in games, and we want to win together.”
She added, “Having such a good team spirit is what makes us more successful. We’re having fun together, and we enjoy being together.” Rolfo explained that she wants to help the team in any way she can, whether that is scoring, assisting, or just working hard, as they aspire to win a trophy.
Better Way to Go Into Game
Chelsea have already knocked United out of the FA Cup this season and boast a far superior record over Marc Skinner’s side. Rolfo chose to focus on the positives, though, and asserted confidently, “Not being a favourite, I think that’s almost the better way to go into a game. I prefer being an underdog than a favourite because if you’re a favourite, you have all the pressure on you.”
Also read: Chelsea Plan Bombshell Move For WSL Rivals’ Star as Blues Eye ‘This’ Manchester City Striker
Chelsea
34-Year-Old Chelsea Star Reveals Why She is Sad Ahead of League Cup Final as Lioness Reflects on Proposed Changes to Competition
Few players know finals like Lucy Bronze. The 34 year old has more than 20 major trophies to her name, including multiple FA Cups, League Cups, and Champions League titles. After joining Chelsea in the summer of 2024, she helped the club complete a domestic treble in her first season.
Next comes another final in the form of the League Cup. Chelsea arrive as three time winners and reigning champions, while Manchester United are appearing in the showpiece for the first time. Bronze is preparing for another major occasion, but has revealed sadness about upcoming changes to the competition.
Every Year You Set Goals for Yourself
“Every year, you set goals for yourself and for the team. Being at Chelsea, it’s always about being in cup finals, about winning trophies, keeping the club at the highest level, and wanting to continue that,” Bronze said. “The League Cup is the first one in the season, the first time you can get your hands on some silverware. I think that’s quite important for the momentum in this part of the season as well.”
With the proposed incoming changes to the League Cup from next season, this could be Bronze’s last opportunity to win the competition. As well as a likely name change, it has been confirmed, subject to approval from the Football Association, that Women’s Super League clubs who qualify for the Women’s Champions League will not compete.
Quite Sad From Player’s Perspective
Bronze expressed her sorrow at the idea that she might not compete in the competition again. “I think it’s sad as a player because you start the season and you look at the silverware available, you look at all the cup finals, and you don’t ever want to take any of them away. So to miss out on that opportunity next year, not all teams being able to compete for all the trophies anymore. From a player’s perspective I find it quite sad.”
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