UEFA Champions League: Will the return of Son Heung-min spur Tottenham on?

Tottenham Hotspur lost the first leg of their 2018-19 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Ajax by a solitary goal. But, they will have the luxury to call upon the services of Son Heung-min at the return leg in Amsterdam.

Son returns from suspension after having picked up three yellow cards over the course of the competition this season. This was in fact Son's first-ever suspension through accumulated bookings in his playing career.

Without him and the injured Harry Kane, fans at the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium returned home dejected as Donny van de Beek's 15th-minute strike proved to be the only difference.

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Son has missed seven games so far this season; the previous six through international call-ups for South Korea in the Asian Games and Asian Cup. That however, has not stopped him from being Spurs' second-best scorer this season behind Kane.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man has raked up 20 goals and grabbed 10 assists in 45 outings for the English side in all competitions. His quick-fire double in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal against Manchester City also saw him become the highest Asian goalscorer in the history of the competition.

However, he was booked in that match and subsequently suspended for last week's game. After going goalless during the group stages of the Champions League, the South Korean had reserved his best for the knockouts, scoring four goals in as many games.

While Harry Kane has remained injured, Son has been deployed in the striker's role multiple times by Mauricio Pochettino. He has not disappointed a bit as his eight goals in 12 games in Kane's absence speak for itself.

Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag will need to tighten the screws in defence with captain Matthijs de Ligt needing to be extra-cautious around the 26-year-old. After getting red-carded on the weekend where Spurs lost, Son would be keen to prove a point, he could exploit Ajax right-back Joel Veltman, who already saw a yellow card in the first leg.

Spurs at least need two goals to make it to their first European final since 1984 and Son could very well be the gamechanger in the second leg.

Here's how to watch the UEFA Champions League LIVE from Southeast Asia