Ajax 2-3 Tottenham: Lucas Moura's miracle in Amsterdam revisited

Relive the night Spurs snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to set up the second-ever all-English Champions League final

Friday 8 May 2020 18:59, UK

It's a year to the day since Lucas Moura's dramatic late hat-trick saw Tottenham follow in Liverpool's footsteps to reach their maiden Champions League final against all odds.

Spurs had an absolute mountain to climb after capitulating in the first half of their semi-final second leg in Amsterdam but, out of nowhere, they conjured up arguably the greatest second-half performance in the club's history.

Twelve months on, relive the night Spurs snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to set up the second-ever all-English Champions League final with Sky Sports' match report...

How last-gasp Lucas Moura sent Spurs to final

Tottenham will face Liverpool in an all-English Champions League final after producing a stunning second-half comeback against Ajax to rival the Reds' miracle win over Barcelona.

Just 24 hours after Liverpool staged one of the greatest-ever fightbacks at Anfield, Lucas Moura scored a second-half hat-trick to secure a 3-2 win in Amsterdam and send Tottenham through to the final in Madrid on away goals.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Spurs looked out of it at half-time after a towering header from Matthijs de Ligt and a curling finish from Hakim Ziyech but Lucas stuck twice inside four minutes to level the scores early in the second half.

And the Brazilian completed his remarkable hat-trick deep into stoppage time to seal the unlikeliest of victories that left Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino in tears and sent Spurs into their first European Cup final.

After Liverpool proved anything is possible against Barcelona, there was always a sense of belief in Tottenham even when they went behind to De Ligt's header from a corner on five minutes.

The response from Mauricio Pochettino's side was bullish, and they went closest to making it 1-1 when Heung-Min Son, who was suspended for the first leg, struck the post with a shot from the left just moments after the Ajax opener.

Lucas and Dele Alli also forced Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana into two good saves as the visitors continued to dominate - but a hammer blow came shortly before half-time when Dusan Tadic capitalised on a mistake from Kieran Trippier in midfield and set up Ziyech to sweep the ball above and beyond Hugo Lloris and make it 2-0.

Tottenham were back out ready for the second half some time before Ajax, however, signalling that they were not giving up without a fight - and the introduction of Fernando Llorente changed the dynamic in their favour.

The Spaniard was a different problem for Ajax and allowed Lucas to attack from in behind him, and Ajax were clearly rattled when a speedy counter-attack saw Alli put Lucas through to finish firmly into the bottom corner.

Llorente then thought he had equalised with an effort that was saved from close range, but the ball dropped to Lucas and he found the bottom corner for a second time.

Spurs then did everything in search of the winner, including moving Moussa Sissoko to right-back to be able to throw on another forward in the returning Erik Lamela, but it almost cost them when Ziyech went up the other end and struck the post late on.

As stoppage time arrived, the Ajax fans and some Ajax players thought their place in the final was sealed, celebrating as Spurs forced a corner at the death. But instead of referee blowing his full-time whistle, Moura pounced on a cute Alli ball through after Llorente's knockdown and swept home to spark pandemonium in the away end of the Amsterdam Arena, with the Ajax players flat out on the floor.

Stats: Sensational Spurs

Tottenham reached the European Cup/Champions League final for the very first time.
Spurs were only the second team in Champions League history to lose the first leg of the semi-final at home and progress to the final - the other was Ajax in 1995-96 against Panathinaikos.
The 2019 Champions League final was only the third major European final in history to feature two English teams, after the 1972 UEFA Cup final (Spurs vs Wolves) and 2008 Champions League final (Man Utd vs Chelsea).
Spurs were the first team to come two goals behind to win in a Champions League semi-final since Manchester United in 1999 against Juventus.
Lucas Moura was only the fifth player to score a Champions League semi-final hat-trick, and first since Cristiano Ronaldo in May 2017 for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid.

Man of the match - Lucas Moura

Described as a "superhero" by Mauricio Pochettino. Lucas got Spurs back into the game with two goals in 204 seconds after the break and then showed fantastic composure to slot in the winner in injury-time.

Analysis: Spurs' heroics reward Poch project

Sky Sports' Adam Bate...

"Thank you, football". Those were the words of Mauricio Pochettino afterwards and everyone understood.

After Liverpool turned around a three-goal deficit in 90 minutes to win their semi-final against Barcelona on Tuesday, Tottenham pulled off the feat in 45 manic minutes to leave Ajax heartbroken in Amsterdam. Spurs are in the Champions League final.

Spurs' outrageous comeback in Amsterdam was a fitting reward for Mauricio Pochettino's five-year project in north London.