Ajax goal: Did Van de Beek foul Vertonghen before De Ligt scored opener?

Tottenham’s Champions League semi-final second leg got off to the worst possible start on Wednesday night when Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner.

The goal, scored after just four minutes, put Ajax 2-0 up on aggregate and made the home side even stronger favourites to progress than they were at kick-off.

But Spurs fans watching on from within the Johan Cruijff ArenA and at home on television may have felt aggrieved at what appeared to be a block on defender Jan Vertonghen.

How the incident unfolded

Matthijs de Ligt leaps highest and Ajax are in front within five minutes

Captain. Leader. Future legend. pic.twitter.com/yD8mT8S1iT

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 8, 2019

A number of Spurs and Ajax players including Kieran Tripper, De Ligt (yellow circle, below), Vertonghen and Donny van de Beek (both red circle) were grouped on the edge of the area.

As a corner was swung in from the right, Van de Beek stood in front of Vertonghen (red circle) and appeared to wrap his arms behind him with both men eventually falling to the floor.

While this was going on, De Ligt escaped his marker (yellow circle), ran towards the six-yard box and outjumped Dele Alli before burying his header in the far corner.

Vertonghen sat on the floor with his arms outstretched towards referee Felix Brych but to no avail. The VAR checked the incident who also decided the goal should stand.

Reaction

“It’s brilliant from De Ligt but I do believe it’s one of those ones VAR will look at,” said former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas on BT Sport commentary.

“If you look at Vertonghen, he feels he’s pushed over by Van de Beek… I’m not sure, it looks like a fair decision to me.”