In a hotly contested Carabao Cup semi-final, Tottenham managed a crucial 1-0 victory over Liverpool, thanks to a decisive shot from young talent Lucas Bergvall. The 18-year-old’s impressive goal not only marked his first for the club but also gave Spurs a slim lead heading into the second leg at Anfield.
This encounter, while electrifying in its intensity, was in stark contrast to their previous Premier League encounter in December, where Liverpool dominated with a crushing 6-3 victory over Spurs. This time around, however, both teams struggled to find their rhythm, leading to a match riddled with errors and missed opportunities from the Premier League’s best attackers.
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The crucial moment came in the 86th minute when Dominic Solanke showed his strength, dismissing Ibrahima Konate and putting Bergvall in position to finish brilliantly. Before the goal, Solanke had already scored, but he was ruled out for offside – the first time in the match that VAR was audibly announced by referee Stuart Attwell, prompting a hail of whistles from the fans from Spurs and applause from Liverpool supporters.
-However, the jubilant Liverpool fans were soon silenced when Bergvall’s late intervention changed the course of the match. Controversy surrounded the goal as Liverpool claimed Bergvall had fouled Kostas Tsimikas just before scoring, leading to cries for a possible second yellow card. Nevertheless, referee Attwell brushed aside the protests, allowing the goal to stand.
This victory could prove monumental for Ange Postecoglou’s team, which was facing major adversity before this meeting. Tottenham had already been weakened by injuries, and the pressure intensified when new signing Antonin Kinsky was thrust into goal for his first match. The situation worsened when Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a worrying injury in the first half, requiring a stretcher and transport to hospital.
Despite these challenges, Kinsky rose to the occasion, including making a crucial save from Darwin Nunez in added time, ensuring that Spurs could hold off an unusually struggling Liverpool side. As Slot’s men leave London with a daunting task ahead of them, they will aim to overturn the first leg deficit in the second leg scheduled for Thursday, February 6.
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