01 May WATCH | Ajax place one foot in Champions League final

Ajax drew first blood in their Champions League semi-final meeting with Tottenham Hotspur this morning.

The Dutch side defeated Spurs 1-0 in the first leg in London to place one foot in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

It was the north London club's fourth defeat in their past five games as Ajax extended their unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions.

The only goal of the contest came in the 15th minute when midfielder Donny van den Beek superbly controlled a Hakem Ziyech through-ball before finishing coolly beyond Hugo Lloris.

Ajax at their brilliant best 🔥

A move that starts at halfway ends in a classy Donny van de Beek finish.#UCL #TOTAJX #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/dyQkW3nZUL

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 30, 2019

The most dramatic moment of the night came later in the opening half when Spurs defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld were involved in an aerial collision with Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Of Tottenham's Belgian pair, Vertonghen came off worst and was temporarily on the sidelines before returning to action.

Scarily, he was then hit badly by delayed concussion which forced him off the pitch.

Brutal.

A nasty collision sees Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen off, on and then off again.#UCL #TOTAJX #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/AVYhZ6E3mV

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) May 1, 2019

Tottenham came closest to scoring when Alderweireld’s first-half header narrowly missed.

Spurs' best chance of the half?

Toby Alderweireld has a free header but can't make Ajax pay.#UCL #TOTAJX #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/kZgg4Wq6vR

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 30, 2019

While Ajax were only inches off a second when the upright cruelly denied David Neres late in the game.

Ajax came this close to adding a second in London.#UCL #TOTAJX #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/FQsH8O6SRX

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 30, 2019

The other Champions League semi-final first leg involving Barcelona and Liverpool kicks off on Thursday morning (AEST) at Barca’s Camp Nou.

The return bout between Erik ten Hag's Ajax and Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs takes place in Amsterdam next Thursday morning (AEST), May 9 with the home side enjoying a one-goal advantage.