"This has to be a rehearsed routine!"
Carlo Ancelotti's voice cracked the tension in the technical area as he paced anxiously in front of the visitors' bench at the Amsterdam Arena. His usually calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a rare urgency. He looked stunned—borderline incredulous.
He never imagined conceding this early. Losing a goal on the road was always within the realm of possibility, but within three minutes?
First, a thunderous long-range effort that narrowly missed. Then a near-zero-angle strike that found the back of the net. All within the opening 180 seconds.
Ancelotti turned his eyes to the celebrating Ajax players—no, to Yang Yang. The young forward had sprinted to the corner flag, surrounded by teammates and showered in adoration from the home crowd. He was beaming, and with good reason.
"Is this kid on something tonight?" Ancelotti muttered bitterly, unable to take his eyes off the Chinese prodigy.
Mauro Tassotti, his long-time assistant, gave a helpless smile and a shrug. "Drugs? Come on, Carlo. No way. He'd have to pass the post-match doping test, and with a profile like his—a 19-year-old with the whole world watching—there's no chance he risks something like that."
Ancelotti let out a frustrated sigh. Tassotti was right, of course.
This wasn't artificial. This was form—raw, blistering, peaking form. Yang Yang wasn't cheating. He was simply out of control in the most terrifying way for any opposition manager.
"His condition tonight," Tassotti added under his breath, "it's ridiculous. He's playing like it's his final."
Ancelotti didn't answer. His eyes narrowed as he tried to retrace the sequence of the goal in his mind. Ajax had come out flying, aggressively targeting Milan's left flank. Clearly, they had drilled this. The way they found space, the speed of passing, the final run—it was all too clean to be coincidence.
But right now, that hardly mattered.
What mattered was that Milan were trailing. The tie was level on aggregate, 4–4, but Ajax now held the advantage with three away goals to Milan's one. The Rossoneri needed to score at least once more. That goal from Yang Yang had completely shifted the balance of power.
The problem wasn't just tactical—it was emotional. The entire rhythm of the match had already spun out of Milan's control. The stadium had erupted, and the Ajax players were buzzing, fueled by belief and crowd energy. The tempo had shifted, and it no longer suited Milan's more measured, possession-based rhythm.
Ancelotti knew this wasn't just a bad start—it was a threat to the entire game plan.
Do they sit back and stabilize? Try to ride out the storm?
Or take a calculated risk and push back immediately, reasserting control before Ajax could build a second wave?
He didn't need to ask Tassotti. The answer was already forming in his gut.
The memories of recent criticism were still fresh. In the league match against Lecce, pundits and fans alike had torn into him for being overly cautious, especially after substituting Pirlo just before conceding. It had been a change planned in advance, but the timing made it look reactive and timid.
Now, there was no margin for timidity.
Ancelotti clenched his jaw and stepped forward to the edge of the technical area, raising his right hand and barking instructions toward the field.
"Push up! Regain control of the midfield. Get the ball forward—fast!"
The message was clear: counterattack. Find a response before Ajax made it two.
If Milan were going down, they wouldn't do it waiting. They would fight back, now.
...
...
After Yang Yang's early goal, AC Milan immediately attempted to wrest control of the game and slow the pace.
But Ajax had no intention of surrendering their momentum so easily.
The front three—Yang Yang, Charisteas, and Pienaar—continued to press aggressively, hunting in packs and disrupting Milan's buildup from the back. Behind them, the Ajax midfield trio pushed high to mark Pirlo, Seedorf, and Gattuso, making it nearly impossible for Milan to build any sustained possession through the center.
As a result, the Rossoneri struggled to link defense to attack. Their passing lacked rhythm, and their progress was stifled repeatedly.
It wasn't until the sixth minute that Milan finally carved out a half-chance. Shevchenko found a sliver of space on the right side of the box, roughly 15 meters from goal, and took a quick shot. But Thomas Vermaelen was alert—he stepped in and blocked it cleanly, clearing the danger before it could trouble Stekelenburg.
Two minutes later, AC Milan tried again. This time it was a long diagonal ball from the back, aimed toward Inzaghi. But Heitinga anticipated it early, positioned himself well, and used his body to shield the ball from Inzaghi, forcing the veteran striker to foul him in frustration. The referee blew the whistle and gave Inzaghi a verbal warning.
Two attacks. No threat. AC Milan's offensive edge was nowhere near the level they had shown at San Siro.
On the pitch, Yang Yang didn't just press tirelessly—he observed. Always analyzing. He began to notice that Milan's performance issues went deeper than just the psychological blow of conceding early. There was something physical, something visible in their movements.
Their legs were heavy.
Their tempo slower.
Their recovery labored.
It wasn't just that they were behind on the scoreboard—it was that their bodies weren't keeping up with the demands of the match.
Many of AC Milan's players were seasoned veterans, highly respected for their technical mastery and tactical understanding. But no matter how refined their skills were, time was a merciless opponent. The accumulation of a long domestic season and deep runs in multiple competitions had taken a toll. Against a young, tireless Ajax side, the difference in physical sharpness was glaring.
Milan looked worn.
Ajax, by contrast, hunted in packs and pressed with intent. Every time they lost the ball, they counter-pressed immediately, choking Milan's transition play and buying time for the defense to reset. This wasn't just tactical discipline—it was physical superiority.
When Milan did manage to regain possession and push toward the final third, Ajax's back line was almost always already in shape, absorbing pressure calmly and resetting.
The reverse wasn't true.
Every time Ajax broke through Milan's press, they transitioned with speed and danger, especially down the left side where Serginho was exposed time and again. The 34-year-old Brazilian fullback was showing clear signs of fatigue, and his one-on-one duels with Yang Yang were becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
In the 16th minute, Serginho received the ball deep on the left flank. But as soon as Yang Yang began sprinting toward him, the Brazilian hesitated. Perhaps the memory of Yang Yang's rocket long shot in the first leg came back to him. Or maybe it was the fear of being beaten again so early. Either way, he panicked. Without even glancing up, Serginho played a hurried pass back to Kaladze in central defense.
It was a costly mistake.
Charisteas, hovering near Kaladze, immediately pounced and cut off the Georgian defender's touch. Stealing the ball cleanly, the Greek forward surged into the box with a clear line to goal.
The angle was tight and defenders were closing in, but Charisteas didn't hesitate. He struck it first-time.
The shot lacked power and precision. It was aimed high toward the near post but didn't have enough behind it. Dida reacted well, stepping across and getting both gloves to the ball, palming it away from danger.
But the danger wasn't over.
The rebound fell loose inside the box. Pienaar, charging into the area from the left, rushed to latch onto the loose ball.
Just as the South African reached for the follow-up, Alessandro Nesta arrived with perfect timing, sliding in to clear the ball away before Pienaar could strike.
It was a moment of brilliance from Nesta—but also a stark warning for Milan.
They were on the edge. Serginho's error had nearly cost them dearly, and Ajax were growing more confident with every passing minute.
...
...
After withstanding pressure for more than ten minutes, Ajax finally chose to retreat slightly and focus on controlling the rhythm.
Although AC Milan had been passive from the start, their overall strength still posed a serious threat. Even if they're not at their best, this is still one of Europe's top clubs, full of experienced and technically gifted players. You can't afford to underestimate a team like that, no matter how shaky they look.
As the visitors gradually stabilized their positions and began to settle into the game, Ajax became more cautious. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Milan's evident lack of energy—compounded by the shock of conceding early—meant their overall sharpness and intensity were well below par. Compared to the Ajax players, who were brimming with urgency and feeding off the electric atmosphere at the Arena, the Rossoneri looked flat. Not only were they clearly less spirited than their opponents tonight, they didn't even look as dangerous as they did in the first leg at San Siro.
By the twentieth minute, with Ajax easing their full-pitch pressing and focusing more on positional balance, the tempo of the match dropped slightly.
AC Milan carved out a promising opportunity in the 21st minute. Kaka carried the ball with strength and pace through midfield before floating a header to the right side of the penalty area. Shevchenko met it first-time from a tight angle, but his shot flew wide of the far post.
Had that gone in, it would've mirrored Yang Yang's earlier near-zero angle effort.
In the minutes that followed, neither side managed to create many real chances. Milan lacked intensity, while Ajax maintained their defensive structure.
A minor clash occurred in the 28th minute when Seedorf and De Jong came together contesting a loose ball. Tempers flared briefly, but both players calmed down quickly, embracing each other in a half-joking gesture to defuse any escalation.
In the 30th minute, Yang Yang crafted a clever opening and slipped a pass through to Maicon on the right. The Brazilian surged forward and struck the ball hard, but his shot lacked direction and curled wide of the far post, failing to trouble Dida.
It had become a recurring theme: Ajax defending and springing forward on the counter, Milan unable to find rhythm or precision. For the time being, neither side looked particularly close to altering the scoreline.
...
...
During the halftime break, both Yang Yang and head coach Ronald Koeman repeatedly reminded the team: AC Milan would never accept defeat so easily. A reaction was inevitable. The message was clear—prepare for a storm in the second half.
And as expected, right from the restart, AC Milan began pressing forward with renewed intensity.
Pirlo sent an early chipped pass towards the edge of the box. Shevchenko made a sudden run behind Vermaelen and rose to meet it just eight meters from goal. But his header lacked placement—straight into the hands of Maarten Stekelenburg.
Less than a minute later, De Jong brought down Seedorf with a clumsy challenge in midfield. The Norwegian referee Terje Hauge showed him a yellow card without hesitation.
Pirlo stepped up for the free kick. He curled it over the wall, but the ball fell safely into Stekelenburg's grasp—no real danger.
AC Milan kept up the pressure. Inzaghi, Shevchenko, and Seedorf all had moments around the box, testing Ajax's defensive concentration.
Sensing the shift in momentum, Koeman responded quickly.
He withdrew Charisteas and brought on Tomáš Galásek to reinforce the midfield. The message was tactical: tighten the center, absorb the pressure, and leave Yang Yang free to exploit the spaces Milan were beginning to leave behind.
Shortly after, Inzaghi broke Ajax's offside line and sprinted into the penalty area. It was the clearest chance Milan had seen all night. But his first touch let him down, giving Vermaelen just enough time to recover and pressure him. Inzaghi's eventual shot missed the target entirely.
Infuriated, Inzaghi turned to protest, claiming Vermaelen had pulled his shirt. The referee was unmoved.
On the touchline, Carlo Ancelotti knew time was slipping away. He made his move.
Serginho was replaced by Cafu. Kaladze shifted back to his natural position at left-back, Nesta and Stam re-formed the central pairing, and Cafu took over on the right.
Minutes later, Ancelotti made another bold call—Gattuso was taken off for Rui Costa.
It was a clear attacking substitution. While few could question Gattuso's value in Milan's midfield, the situation demanded creativity over combat. Rui Costa had already made a difference in the first leg with a brilliant assist. Ancelotti hoped for a repeat.
But the Portuguese playmaker struggled to find space. Ajax had dropped deeper, compact and alert, ready to strike on the break.
AC Milan began throwing numbers forward. They had no choice. Despite the 4–4 scoreline on aggregate, Ajax held the advantage through their three away goals.
And then, at the moment when Milan seemed most committed, Ajax countered.
Pienaar intercepted a loose ball and quickly released Maxwell on the left. The Brazilian full-back surged forward past the halfway line with pace and purpose. Glancing up, he spotted Yang Yang positioned perfectly between Nesta and Kaladze, right on the edge of the defensive line.
Yang Yang raised his right hand, signaling for the ball.
Maxwell didn't hesitate. He whipped a diagonal ball over the top, slicing through Milan's back line.
The delivery was perfect.
Yang Yang reached it first, using his pace to get in front of Kaladze. With his body angled to shield the ball, he brought it down expertly on his chest.
As he turned to break free and charge into the penalty area, the referee's whistle pierced the air.
Terje Hauge had called a foul on Kaladze.
"There was clear shirt-pulling from Kaladze just as Yang Yang received the pass," the commentator noted. "But Yang Yang had already turned and was breaking away—it looked like a genuine one-on-one opportunity developing."
Yang Yang spread his arms in frustration, clearly displeased. He had read the moment perfectly and created the separation. A second later and he would have been through on goal.
The Ajax bench protested the decision. They believed play should have continued under the advantage rule.
The chance was gone.
Kaladze's foul may have prevented an even bigger blow.
...
Terje Hauge had a reputation across Europe as a notorious whistle-blower, strict to the point of obsession. In Norway, they called him a "digging madman" for how easily he stopped play—even at the cost of fluidity.
Yang Yang didn't push the protest too far. He lifted his arms slightly, then quickly let it go. He knew better.
Already carrying two yellow cards in the Champions League, he couldn't risk a third. One more, and Ajax might qualify—but he wouldn't be there for the semifinal. That alone was reason enough to stay calm.
He jogged over to retrieve the ball himself and placed it purposefully on the ground, glancing up at Sneijder and Pienaar nearby. Then, without delay, he tried to catch Milan off guard. He sprang forward, clearly attempting a quick restart.
But Hauge had other ideas.
A sharp whistle blew again—once, then twice—commanding everyone to halt. The referee jogged toward the ball, holding out a hand to stop play entirely.
Yang Yang, already in full sprint, had no choice but to pull up.
He stopped, turned around with a bitter smile, and started walking back, shaking his head. He knew the referee wouldn't allow it, but it was worth the attempt.
The camera broadcast zoomed in just in time to catch his expression, and the commentators were quick to react.
"Haha, Yang Yang tried to be clever there," one of them said with a chuckle. "He clearly wanted to take it fast and surprise Milan, but Terje Hauge spotted it straight away. You can tell he's a bit frustrated—probably thought he had a moment to capitalize."
"But to be fair, this is still a very dangerous free-kick position."
"Looks like Sneijder will be the one to take it."
...
Sneijder remained Ajax's primary free-kick taker. His deliveries—whether from dead balls or corners—were consistently sharp and well-placed.
But every so often, Yang Yang stepped up.
The previous leg at the San Siro had ended with a corner taken by Yang Yang, a ball that turned the tide. So now, as the two of them stood once again near a set piece—this time a free kick in a dangerous area—no one could say for certain who would take it.
The uncertainty extended onto the pitch.
Ajax players poured into the penalty area. Even Yaya Touré joined the crowd inside the box, signaling that this ball would be delivered directly into the danger zone.
AC Milan's defenders responded immediately. Despite retreating into the box, they left players positioned at the edge of the area, clearly wary of Ajax's reputation for pulling off disguised routines. Whether it was Sneijder, Yang Yang, or even Galásek, all had the ability to strike from range. Milan weren't going to take any chances.
Yang Yang and Sneijder stood at offset angles, forming a deliberate 'V' shape. It was a setup that made it nearly impossible to guess the intent.
"What are we doing?" Sneijder asked calmly.
Yang Yang lifted his head, scanning the far side of the area. He caught sight of Vermaelen, who gave the slightest nod. That was all the confirmation he needed.
"I'll take it," Yang Yang said.
Sneijder had seen the nod too. He gave a faint grin. "Alright. I'll run a screen for you."
"Good."
The chemistry between Yang Yang and Vermaelen was uncanny. Just a glance was enough for them to sync. Sneijder, ever the technician himself, couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration for the ease with which the two connected. That kind of intuitive understanding didn't come easily.
As AC Milan finished organizing the wall and the referee stepped away from the area, the whistle was blown.
Sneijder nodded once more at Yang Yang and charged toward the ball. Yang Yang followed just behind.
Sneijder approached with all the force of a genuine strike, only to suddenly veer off. In the same instant, Yang Yang swung his right leg through the ball, sending it curling from the outside of his foot with a clean Beckham-like whip.
It arced around the wall effortlessly.
The delivery was perfect—fast, dipping, and headed toward the far edge of the six-yard box.
AC Milan's defenders, including Stam and Nesta, had shifted their focus to tracking the taller targets: Charisteas, Touré, even Galásek. But none of them picked up Vermaelen, who had ghosted to the back post.
Cafu lost him at the worst possible moment.
Vermaelen, sprinting from deep, rose at full stretch. For a moment, his leap seemed to defy gravity. He soared just above Nesta, rising cleanly to meet the cross with a powerful header.
The contact was pure.
The ball cannoned off his forehead and shot toward goal with pace and precision. Dida lunged, but it was hopeless.
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooal!
"Seventieth minute! Ajax strike again!"
"Thomas Vermaelen with the header! What a delivery from Yang Yang!"
Vermaelen immediately turned and pointed across the pitch to Yang Yang. The two locked eyes before sprinting toward the touchline together, arms stretched wide, shouting with elation.
Sneijder, Touré, and the others chased them down, piling on in celebration.
"A stunning leap from Vermaelen!"
"Not the tallest defender, but his timing and spring are elite."
"Slow-motion replays show the precision of Yang Yang's delivery—absolutely pinpoint. And the run from Vermaelen, ghosting past Cafu and attacking the space perfectly, was top class."
"This wasn't just an opportunistic goal. It was a rehearsed play. Ajax clearly had this planned."
Players huddled together by the corner flag, basking in the moment. The stadium thundered with joy.
After taking the lead inside three minutes, Ajax had largely absorbed pressure, playing patiently. But now, they had struck again—this time from a set piece.
The scoreboard now read 2–0.
The aggregate stood at 5–4 in Ajax's favor.
And crucially, Ajax still held three away goals.
AC Milan, even with all their pedigree, now needed to score twice—just to advance.
The question, hanging heavy over the Amsterdam Arena, was clear:
Could they still do it?
...
...
Ronald Koeman turned excitedly to celebrate with his assistants.
This goal could almost be said to have cemented Ajax's control of the tie.
He immediately made a second substitution, replacing Pienaar with Filipe Luís.
Although the Brazilian is naturally a left-back, his pace and excellent dribbling down the wing allow him to offer both defensive coverage and potential outlets on the counterattack.
Pienaar, on the other hand, had struggled to influence both legs of the tie. Now, with Ajax leading 2–0 on the night and 5–4 on aggregate, Koeman's priority was clear: hold firm, protect the flanks, and prepare to strike on the break.
Ancelotti had no choice but to respond.
Five minutes later, he replaced Pippo Inzaghi with Alberto Gilardino.
It was a substitution aimed squarely at strengthening Milan's presence in the box. Against a compact and physically assertive Ajax defence, Gilardino's hold-up play, aerial strength, and timing offered a different threat. His ability to operate as a target man was expected to unsettle Ajax's back line.
Everyone in the stadium knew it—Ajax's weakness had always been their vulnerability in the air.
To his credit, Ancelotti's decision began to pay dividends. With Gilardino now acting as a fulcrum up front, Milan's midfield regained some rhythm. They circulated the ball with more purpose, sending waves of pressure toward the Dutch side.
Eventually, the goal came.
A delivery from the right, swung in with precision, was met by Gilardino at the edge of the six-yard box. Rising above Vermaelen and Heitinga, he powered a header beyond Stekelenburg and into the net.
2–1.
Aggregate score: 5–5.
But with Ajax having scored three away goals in Milan, it was the Dutch side who still held the advantage.
Milan threw everything forward.
Kaká dropped deeper to collect the ball and orchestrate the attack, Pirlo pushed higher in desperation, and even Nesta began to drift into advanced areas during set pieces. The final minutes were played with a frantic energy. Ajax were defending with every ounce of strength they had.
In response, Koeman made his final change, withdrawing Sneijder and sending on Ron Vlaar, an extra centre-back, to shore up the defensive line and help deal with Milan's aerial bombardment.
Time dragged.
The referee signalled four minutes of stoppage time, during which Milan bombarded the Ajax penalty area with crosses and long balls. But Vermaelen and Vlaar stood firm, Touré dropped deep to assist, and Stekelenburg commanded his box with authority.
...
...
When the referee blew the whistle at the end of the game, the whole Amsterdam Arena burst into thunderous cheers.
All fans were frantically celebrating the team's qualification for the semifinals.
But the players on the pitch were completely drained.
Even Yang Yang felt his legs trembling.
AC Milan's pressure in the final stages was overwhelming—so intense that Ajax couldn't even find a chance to fight back.
The gap in strength between the two sides forced Ajax to retreat deep, crowding the edge of their own box.
But this time, the team's defensive organisation held firm. In the end, they withstood AC Milan's offensive barrage. Everyone gave everything. No one slacked.
The final result: a 2-1 win on the night, 5-5 on aggregate. Ajax advanced by virtue of the away goals rule, knocking out the Red and Black.
AC Milan's players looked visibly dejected.
Especially Kaka.
He had put in a tremendous effort in this game but was never able to truly show his full attacking threat.
Once Ajax sat deep, Kaka was denied the space in which he thrives. Players like Rui Costa ended up posing more danger in such tight spaces.
Brazilian players often need room to accelerate and operate. That is their strength. Kaka was no exception.
Moreover, AC Milan's use of a two-forward system didn't help him either.
After taking a moment to recover, Yang Yang exhaled deeply and walked over to Kaka.
"See? I told you, once you come back to Amsterdam Arena, you're not walking out alive," Yang Yang joked, extending his right hand.
Kaka shook his hand with a slightly bitter smile. "We're just too exhausted."
AC Milan's bench depth was by far the weakest among the top three Serie A sides, and with a squad full of ageing veterans, competing seriously on two fronts had taken a heavy toll. Fatigue was clearly an issue.
At San Siro, Milan had played well and dominated for large spells, even believing they had done enough to finish Ajax off.
But they left themselves exposed at the back, particularly down Serginho's side. That cost them dearly.
Had that first leg ended 4–2, or if Ajax had scored even one fewer goal, this tie might have been very different.
But football has no room for what-ifs.
A loss is a loss.
"Still, don't celebrate too early," Kaka added with a smirk. "Barcelona's waiting for you in the semis..."
Yang Yang nodded. He knew full well that Rijkaard's side was a different beast—stronger in every department: attack, build-up, and defence.
The tactics Ajax used to beat AC Milan might not work against Barcelona.
And Rijkaard, being a Dutchman and a former Ajax man himself, knew the club inside out. Not to mention his assistant, Ten Cate.
But Yang Yang also knew that at this point, there was no turning back.
They had made it this far, and the only way was forward.
Backing down was never part of his nature.
And even reaching the final four—given the club's situation—was already a monumental achievement for Ajax.