Erik ten Hag is especially happy with the result of the match between Borussia Dortmund and Ajax in the Champions League. The team from Amsterdam triumphed on Wednesday evening with 1-3 on German soil and thus assured themselves of a ticket for the eighth finals of the European ball of billions. “Being sure of overwintering in the Champions League after four matches, that is of course fantastic,” he said. “That is a wonderful achievement.”
“But especially after such a performance it is also easy to remain critical”, Ten Hag emphasized after the game. “I didn’t think we played well in the first half. We lost the ball quickly and defensively we had to put a lot more pressure. As a result, we made our opponent too strong. I also think it is naive to concede a goal when you are on the field with a man more.”
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After any doubt, the defender must leave the field anyway. Say it ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #BVBAJA pic.twitter.com/gILxvzFhZd
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) Nov 3, 2021
The match in Signal Iduna Park seemed to turn to Ajax’s advantage when Mats Hummels was able to go to the changing rooms after a foul on Antony with a red card. Nothing was further from the truth: Dortmund were awarded a penalty after a foul by Noussair Mazraoui and took the lead in the 37th minute. The red card allowed Ajax to push Dortmund back in the second half and that paid off in the last twenty minutes with hits from Dusan Tadic, Sébastien Haller and substitute Davy Klaassen.
“We have made the opponent great by being way too hesitant defensively and by making wrong choices in possession and being sloppy. We have empowered them. We brought Klaassen at halftime and that worked out well,” said Ten Hag. “We have been patient and when the opportunities came, we took them. Antony provides three assists. This was indeed not Saturday’s Antony against Heracles Almelo. But that is possible with young players. We have to help him too.”
AJAX WINTER IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
The team from Amsterdam did not have it easy in Dortmund, but eventually won 1-3. Goals came from Dusan Tadic, Sebastien Haller and Davy Klaassen. Party for Ajax! #UCL #BVBAJA pic.twitter.com/rMJvcqHRZz
— VTBL ? (@vtbl) Nov 3, 2021
Ten Hag thought the red card for Hummels and the penalty kick for a violation by Mazraoui were both severely punished. “But that happens in football. Of course Hummels takes the risk, but I can imagine that he is very disappointed, as I was about that penalty. That happens, sometimes it works. I thought it was a tough decision, just like the red card was also tough,” said the trainer who reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with Ajax three years ago. “We are playing more solid now, then we might have played with more surprise.”
With the victory, Ajax is sovereign in Group C with twelve points from four matches and a ticket for the knockout phase of the million-dollar ball has been secured. “Overwintering with Ajax is a great achievement. We can continue with this, this team has a lot of potential, but there is still plenty of work to do. The first half against Dortmund showed that.”