Tottenham will go a goal clear of Anfield in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final after narrowly beating the Premier League leaders in north London on Wednesday.
A goal from 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall four minutes from time was the difference in a thrilling encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The match was marred, however, by what appeared to be a very serious injury to Rodrigo Bentancur in the first half, which resulted in the midfielder being hospitalized.
Spurs have never been involved in a goalless draw during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure and it looked like the game was heading in that direction before Bergvall found the net to only inflict the team with Arne Slot a second defeat of the season.
For Tottenham, it was a first victory since the EFL’s Round of 16 victory over Manchester United.
Victory in the first leg! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ktX5W2OTjA
–Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2025
Before the match, Postecoglou had cited his team’s long list of absentees as a factor in the decline in results in recent weeks, going so far as to say that Salah would struggle to be prolific in such an injured team.
And Spurs were dealt another blow when the returning Bentancur had to be stretchered off after just six minutes and taken to hospital for treatment. .
Despite the change and the resulting long delay, it was Postecoglou’s team who got off to the best start. The championship leaders, meanwhile, were careless in possession.
Alisson had to be alert to keep out Radu Dragușin’s early effort, while Dominic Solanke went narrowly wide from Son Heung-min’s cross.
Liverpool were also forced into a first-half change after Jarell Quansah was replaced by Wataru Endo.
The Reds then had a couple of half-chances late in the half, courtesy of Salah and Cody Gakpo, but neither effort really troubled Spurs new boy Antonin Kinksy.
“An incredible moment to score your first goal for the club! 🎙
Lucas Bergvall gives Spurs the lead in the 85th minute of the first leg! 💥 pic.twitter.com/NxZxPt9vLH
– Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 8, 2025
After the break it was Liverpool’s shot at the center of the action when Alisson was almost robbed by Bergvall as he tried to play out from the back.
The Brazilian escaped the first challenge but Bergvall came back for another bite, forcing the ball into the path of Pedro Porro, whose initial shot was blocked but who then squandered the follow-up.
Kinsky was called into action again when he saved from backup Darwin Nunez. Dragusin then cleared the line past Trent Alexander-Arnold – another Slot replacement – as the game began to open up.
With just under 15 minutes remaining, Spurs thought they had taken the lead when Porro’s pass found Solanke breaking away from the Reds’ defence.
But the former Liverpool player was ruled offside by VAR.
Ten minutes later, the hosts scored a goal that counted. From another pass from Porro, Solanke held off Ibrahima Konate before laying the ball back to Bergvall who finished well from just inside the box for his first Spurs goal.
The visitors were frustrated that Bergvall was even on the pitch to score after avoiding a second yellow card for a foul on Konstantinos Tsimikas shortly before the goal.
In the end, the Swede’s goal proved enough to give Spurs a slim lead heading into the second leg at Anfield on February 6.
