For the first time since 1997, Ajax is into the semi-finals of the Champions League. Their sensational Champions League run took them to the next round as Matthijs Ligt’s goal eliminated Juventus and secured their place in the last four.
From a first-half corner, five-time winner of the Champions League tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a header as he put Juventus on the scoreboard.
However, the pressure on Ajax came to match Juventus’ when Donn van de Beek brilliantly slotted in an equalizer.
By the away-goals rule, Juventus had to score two minutes in the remaining 23 minutes, but the visitors didn’t relent as they seemed to pressure on with David Neres shooting wide and Ziyech flagged offside after a smart shot into the top corner of the goal post.
Having been eliminated from the competition for the first time since 2015, where Juventus beat previous club Real Madrid, Ronaldo picked up a late yellow card as he appeared frustrated at the turn of events.
Ajax will be facing the winner of Manchester City and Tottenham, where Tottenham is already with a goal advantage in the first leg of the draw.
Ajax’s victory over Juventus is a return of their lost glory as the last time they got to the semi-finals, it was far back in 1997. The team contained Daley Blind’s father Danny, Marc Overmars and Ronald de Boer.
However, their sensational play has been awakened by the youngsters in the current Champions League season. They had a 250-1 odds against them far back in the group stages but has proved critics wrong with their exuberant attacking and unwavering belief in their ability to compete with the best of the best which De Ligt best summed up.
De Ligt, 19-year-old, Ajax captain was nowhere to be found in Ronaldo’s opener as he was unable to track the Portuguese’s run through a tight penalty area and leaving him free for the 98th headed goal of his career.
He is the youngest Dutch player to score in a CL knockout match (19 years 246 days) ever since Nordin Wooter broke that record in April 1996 for Ajax against Panathinaikos (19 years 237 days).