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Sports

Lucas Moura leads Tottenham to first CL final

Amsterdam, May 9 

Tottenham Hotspur is through to their first Champions League final thanks to a Lucas Moura hat-trick in the semifinal second leg against Ajax whom they defeated 3-2.

Trailing 0-1 after the first leg in London, Spurs on Wednesday conceded two more goals at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena before the Brazilian caught fire in the second half to level the tie at 3-3 and allow the Premier League club to advance on away goals, reports Efe news.

A day after Liverpool romped 4-0 over Barcelona to prevail 4-3 on aggregate in the other semifinal, Ajax started the contest determined to add to their goal total and it took them just five minutes to draw blood.

Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris did well to turn aside Dusan Tadic's strike, but poor defending by Kieran Trippier on the ensuing corner kick allowed Matthias de Ligt to head-in from close range.

Tottenham's Son Heung-min hit the post seconds after the Ajax goal and the South Korean forced a stop from host keeper Andre Onana in the 22nd minute.

The keeper then denied Christian Eriksen before Moura put the ball over the cross-bar.

In the 36th minute, Tadic charged down the left side on a counter and slanted a pass to the oncoming Hakim Ziyech, whose strike left Lloris with no chance.

With his side down 0-2 on the night and 0-3 overall, Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino made a change to start the second half, replacing midfielder Victor Wanyama with striker Fernando Llorente and the substitution visibly lifted the visitors.

Danny Rose and Son created danger in the Ajax zone and Dele Alli tested Onana before assisting on Moura's breakthrough goal in the 54th minute.

The Brazilian forward struck again four minutes later, converting the rebound after Onana stoned Llorente from close range.

Still ahead 3-2 on aggregate, Ajax returned to the attack but Daley Blind sent the ball over the next and Ziyech missed the mark.

Five minutes into stoppage time, just as the home supporters were starting to celebrate, the ball fell to Moura and he hammered it home and booked Spurs' ticket for the June 1 final in Madrid against Liverpool.

It will be only the second time the final has featured two clubs from England.