Davy Klaassen resorted to some unusual tactics to stop Virgil van Dijk in Wednesday's Champions League match between Ajax and Liverpool.
But it was in vain as Jurgen Klopp's side booked their place in the last 16 of the competition with a 3-0 win in Amsterdam.
Liverpool weathered an early storm before taking the lead shortly before half-time - Mohamed Salah putting the Reds ahead with a neat finish after collecting a brilliant through ball from captain Jordan Henderson.
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Darwin Nunez missed a glorious chance to put the visitors further ahead before half-time, somehow hitting the post when it looked easier to score.
But the Uruguayan finally got his goal four minutes after the break, powering a superb header past Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer.
Three minutes later, Harvey Elliott rounded off the scoring with a magnificent finish past Pasveer and into the roof of the net.
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It was a demoralising result for Ajax, who had dominated much of the first half.
The Dutch side needed to win to have any chance of making it through to the last 16 of the competition.
And at one point they adopted some unusual tactics in the hope of causing an upset.
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During the first half, Ajax midfielder Klaassen attempted to put off Van Dijk while he was defending a free-kick.
In a clip circulating on social media, Klaassen can be seen tickling his Netherlands teammate's armpits as they wait for the set-piece to be taken.
Fans on social media saw the funny side of Klaassen's unconventional tactics.
"I know I did not just see man tickle virgil van dijk's armpit," posted one fan on Twitter.
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Another wrote: "Did a man just try and tickle Van Dijk," followed by the crying-laughing emoji.
Victory for Liverpool keeps them to within three points of group leaders Napoli, who beat Ajax 3-0 on Wednesday.
Liverpool can still finish top of their group if they beat the Italian side at Anfield with a better result than their 4-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in Naples.
Featured Image Credit: BT SportTopics:ย Liverpool, Ajax, Football, Champions League, Virgil Van Dijk
