Ajax eliminate Ronaldo's Juve with scintillating display
Wednesday, 17 Apr 20196:38 AM MYT
TURIN (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam followed up their elimination of Real Madrid by producing a spell-binding display of inventive, passing football to win 2-1 away to Juventus on Tuesday and end the Serie A team's dreams of winning the Champions League.
Ajax's 19-year-old captain Matthijs de Ligt headed the winner from the corner in the 67th minute of the quarter-final second leg as the Dutch side came from behind to clinch a 3-2 aggregate win and reach the last four for the first time since 1996/97.
Cristiano Ronaldo, aiming for a fourth successive Champions League title after winning the last three with Real Madrid, put Juventus ahead in the 28th minute with a typically emphatic header, his sixth goal of the competition.
But Donny van de Beek levelled six minutes later before the visitors swept Juventus aside in the second half with wave after wave of attacks as they earned a semi-final against Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur.
Frenkie de Jong added: "We dominated after the break and were well worth our victory. In fact, we probably should have won by more."
Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana gave his team an early scare when his clearance was charged down by Emre Can but the rebound flew wide.
Ajax settled well after that but, despite not playing well, Juventus went ahead when Ronaldo got away from the defenders to score the 126th Champions League goal of his career.
There was a long delay for the VAR review, the referee eventually going to the pitchside monitor with the ball back on the centre circle ready for the re-start, before the goal was confirmed.
Ajax kept their cool and took six minutes to level, helped by a somewhat lucky break.
Hakim Ziyech's long-range shot hit a defender and fell perfectly for Van de Beek who, unmarked and onside, slotted the ball calmly past Wojciech Szczesny, and then had to wait for another long VAR check before the goal was confirmed.
Ajax took complete control in the second half and their geometric passing repeatedly opened up the Juventus defence, which sorely missed injured veteran Giorgio Chiellini.
Szczesny made one-handed save from Ziyech after Juventus were opened up again and then turned Van de Beek's curling shot over for a corner.
Juventus were rocking but, ironically, Ajax's winner came from an old-fashioned header as De Ligt outjumped two defenders to score.
Ajax had chances for further goals and Ronaldo's frustration boiled over in stoppage time when he was booked for a lunging tackle from behind near the centre circle.
(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2019/04/17/ajax-eliminate-ronaldos-juve-with-scintillating-display/#4DX5sDqOjOflatgM.99
Solskjaer calls for squad rebuild after United outclassed by Barca
Wednesday, 17 Apr 20196:54 AM MYT
by richard martin
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2019/04/16/22/54/20190416t223955z_1_lynxnpef3f1op_rtroptp_4_soccerchampionsfcbmun.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=481D29060140567EA731C59C51CC67C78E4833A1
BARCELONA (Reuters) - After their slim hopes of another famous Champions League revival were stopped dead by Lionel Messi and a rampant Barcelona, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his Manchester United side need a huge overhaul in order to return to Europe's elite.
Although United made a bright start to their quarter-final second leg at the Nou Camp with Marcus Rashford hitting the crossbar early on, they were soon outclassed by Barca, who eased to a 3-0 win on Tuesday for a dominant 4-0 aggregate victory.
"We were fighting against a great team and we know there's work to be done but I've said all along this isn't going to change overnight," Solskjaer told a news conference.
"The next few years are going to be massive to get to the level that Barcelona and other teams are at."
He also led them to an historic comeback after a 2-0 first-leg defeat at home to Paris St Germain in the Champions League last 16, going through on away goals with a 3-1 win in the French capital.
Yet the scale of the long-term surgery his side needs was laid bare at the Nou Camp, where Barca walked all over United.
Messi pounced on a wayward pass by United captain Ashley Young to break the deadlock in the 16th minute while midfielder Fred also surrendered possession a few moments later and Messi again capitalised, with his shot squeezing under the usually excellent David de Gea.
"We've got good players to work with and at the moment we've done really well to get to the quarters and challenge for top four, but we've got a rebuilding job. It starts with the coaches and players, and with one or two additions," added the Norwegian.
"We're on with the job and have spoken to the players we need to get the best out of each other, create an environment of top class attitude, world class attitude every single day."
Barca scored their third goal when Philippe Coutinho was left with plenty of space and time to curl a shot into the top corner.
United's attack only troubled Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen once, when Alexis Sanchez was thwarted in the closing stages.
"You know that at this level you cannot slip up and make mistakes and you have to take your chances when you get them," Solskjaer added.
"We didn’t capitalise on our great start, then they have their first two shots on target, they get two goals then it's game over. We did well to get here but we could see the difference between the two teams."
(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Toby Davis)
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2019/04/17/solskjaer-calls-for-squad-rebuild-after-united-outclassed-by-barca/#HKEEFjVHqICJxOxO.99
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