Champions League: Son shines in the City as Spurs dump club, Liverpool through to semi-final

Tottenham star Son Heung-min admitted his side’s stunning Champions League quarter-final success against Manchester City was the craziest match he has ever experienced. 

Son Heung-Min (R), South Korean striker takes a shot at goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England on April 17, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP).

In one of the most dramatic matches in Champions League history, Son scored twice in the space of three minutes early in the first half to give Tottenham a 2-1 lead in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium. City hit back to take a 4-2 lead that would have sent them through to the semi-finals. 

VAM News records that City needed to overhaul a 1-0 loss from the first leg but could only win 4-3 after an intense match which saw a flurry of goals at the start. However, the 4-4 aggregate score meant Spurs qualified on away goals rule.

Raheem Sterling had given Spurs an early lead (4') but two goals from Heung-Min Son (7', 10') put Spurs in a commanding position.

However, goals from Sterling (21') and Sergio Aguero (59') seemed to have handed City the initiative, only for Fernando Llorente to score the winner in the 73rd minute.

But Fernando Llorente bundled in Tottenham’s decisive late third goal — awarded after a VAR review. That was enough for Tottenham, whose 4-3 defeat secured an away goals triumph after they won the first leg 1-0. Tottenham still needed another VAR assist before they could celebrate a first Champions League semi-final berth as Raheem Sterling’s goal in the final seconds was ruled out for offside against Sergio Aguero.

Spurs wait nervously for Kane update after ankle knock In total there were five goals in the first 21 minutes — the fastest five goals scored in Champions League history. It was all too much for South Korea forward Son, whose side will face Dutch club Ajax in the last four. “I have never seen something like this, It was a very tough game, a very crazy game. But we are very proud of our team-mates. 

It was madness,” Son said. “Sometimes you are annoyed with VAR but today it is ‘thank you and good decision’. “We fought together for 90 minutes. We showed unbelievable character and fight.” Mauricio Pochettino’s men were 12 minutes away from being eliminated in the group stages before a late fightback against PSV Eindhoven. 

Now they are in their first European semi-final since the 1984 UEFA Cup. Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen admitted he was relieved after City’s late goal was ruled out as he had given the ball away in the build-up. “I think I must be one of the luckiest guys on the planet today. With the last one they scored, I thought it was over. 

Thank God the ref gave offside,” Eriksen said. “The whole game was a roller coaster, it was goals, goals, goals, goals and drama everywhere.

There was drama late on as Sterling found the back of the net in the 93rd minute but after a vAR check, the goal was disallowed and Spurs held on for a famous victory.

In the other Champions League quarter-final, Liverpool coasted past FC Porto 4-1 to register a 6-1 aggregate win. Sadio Mane, Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Virgil Van Dijk were all on target for Klopp's side while Eder scored Porto's consolation.

VAM News Confirmed that Spurs will now take on Ajax in the semifinal while Liverpool have been pitted against Barcelona.