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Ajax to grind

Lyon 3 Ajax 1 (4-5 agg): Alexandre Lacazette’s 79-second double not enough as Dutch side make first European final in 21 years

Premier League target was on form but Ajax's teenage star Kasper Dolberg got crucial away goal

TEENAGER Kasper Dolberg booked Ajax's spot in the Europa League final with a cheeky finish that wiped out Lyon.

The visitors arrived in France with a 4-1 lead and the 19-year-old made looked to have got them in their first European final in 21 years 27 minutes in.

 Ajax celebrate reaching their first European final in 21 years
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Ajax celebrate reaching their first European final in 21 yearsCredit: Reuters
 Kasper Dolberg looked to have secured Ajax's path to the Europa League final
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Kasper Dolberg looked to have secured Ajax's path to the Europa League finalCredit: EPA

Ajax winger Amin Younes fed the on-rushing Dolberg and he showed coolness beyond his ears to dink over Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes.

But then Matthijs de Light floored Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette in the box and the Premier League target side-footed home from the spot a minute before half-time.

Then, just 79 seconds later, Lacazette beat the offside trap to tap in Nabil Fekir's square ball and give us a game before half-time when it had looked dead and buried.

 Alexandre Lacazette bagged a double on the night but it wasn't enough
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Alexandre Lacazette bagged a double on the night but it wasn't enoughCredit: EPA
 Alexandre Lacazette scored from the spot
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Alexandre Lacazette scored from the spotCredit: Getty Images

Lyon's efforts paid off ten minutes before the end when Rachil Ghezzal smashed in a header that went in off Nick Viergever's leg.

Viergever was then sent off for fouling Fekir but he sent the free-kick miles over.

Bruno Genesio's side could not find another and so Ajax go through to face Man United after a 4-5 aggregate win.

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