Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE: Carabao Cup result and reaction as Lucas Bergvall scores late winner | OneFootball

✕

Close

'Don't think there's any debate' - Slot speaks on Bergvall controversy

Lucas Bergvall struck an 86th-minute winner to earn Tottenham a 1-0 victory over Liverpool and a slender advantage after a cagey Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Spurs were without 10 players for this tie and had lost 6-3 to Arne Slot’s irresistible Premier League leaders last month, but turned the form table on its head - albeit with a touch of fortune.

Match-winner Bergvall was lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a late tackle on Kostas Tsimikas moments before he fired home his first goal for the club to earn Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou a much-needed win.

Postecoglou had faced external pressure after a nightmare run of form amid a horror injury crisis, which deepened with Rodrigo Bentancur forced off early amid worrying scenes, but his injury-hit team with debutant goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky managed to shut out Liverpool to head to Anfield next month with a narrow lead.

Tottenham vs Liverpool LIVE

Ignore the controversy, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham have made one thing clear

It’s a bit premature to say this was a night when Tottenham’s young team came of age, but this 1-0 victory over Liverpool was an impressive show of maturity when they most needed it.

An 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall appropriately settled it, crowning the fine work of fellow teenager Archie Gray. Ange Postecoglou couldn’t be more effusive afterwards, and that’s understandable. It might well save Tottenham’s season, just as Liverpool’s has a slight sense of lag. The Premier League leaders were still very energised about the controversial Bergvall goal that won this Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, with complaints that the goalscorer should have had a second booking, eventually seeing Arne Slot unusually lose his cool.

Ignore the controversy, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham have made one thing clear

Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool: Despite the noise around Lucas Bergvall’s winning goal, the Australian could point to a much-improved performance and evidence that his players are still fighting for him

Miguel Delaney9 January 2025 09:15

Rodrigo Bentancur latest as Tottenham player provides update after ‘worrying’ incident

Rodrigo Bentancur has posted a positive update from hospital after the Tottenham midfielder was forced off the pitch during the Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool with a suspected head injury.

Bentancur was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital with his manager Ange Postecoglou confirming that he was conscious despite the “worrying” incident.

And the Uruguay later confirmed that he was well in a post on his Instagram story, accompanied with a picture of him in hospital, after Tottenham beat Liverpool 1-0.

Bentancur latest as Spurs player provides update on worrying incident

The midfielder was strechered off the pitch after receiving around eight minutes of treatment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Jamie Braidwood9 January 2025 08:45

Arne Slot responds as Liverpool rage over Lucas Bergvall goal after red card reprieve

Liverpool boss Arne Slot bemoaned the decision by referee Stuart Attwell not to send off Tottenham match-winner Lucas Bergvall moments before he struck the only goal of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

The already-booked Bergvall avoided a second yellow card for a late tackle on Kostas Tsimikas as the Reds counter-attacked in the 84th minute.

Slot and his Liverpool players cut frustrated figures, but their fury increased within 120 seconds when Bergvall rifled home from Dominic Solanke’s lay-off to earn injury-hit Spurs a precious 1-0 victory ahead of next month’s second leg at Anfield.

Arne Slot responds as Liverpool rage over Lucas Bergvall goal after red card reprieve

Bergvall avoided a second yellow card two minutes before he struck an 86th-minute winner

Jamie Braidwood9 January 2025 08:15

‘This is your game’: Ange Postecoglou launches into VAR rant as history made

Ange Postecoglou asked why VAR is not being questioned more by the English public after Stuart Attwell’s historic public announcement during Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win over Liverpool.

Lucas Bergvall’s 86th-minute winner earned Spurs a 1-0 win in their home tie ahead of next month’s return leg at Anfield.

But they had earlier been denied an opener when Dominic Solanke’s strike was ruled out after VAR had checked for offside.

‘This is your game’: Ange Postecoglou launches into VAR rant as history made

Referee Stuart Attwell gave the first in-stadium public announcement in English football after VAR ruled out Dominic Solanke’s goal

Jamie Braidwood9 January 2025 07:45

Kinsky on who he was celebrating with at the end:

“It was my sister because yesterday I got to know there is a possibility of me being in goal today so I called them immediately, my sister came, her boyfriend, my parents, I was so happy to have them here on such a special night.

“That was him [his dad, a former goalkeeper, shown in the stands] I hope he’s proud. The whole family, my grandfather was also a goalkeeper, he was watching as well. I hope they are all happy.”

Mike Jones8 January 2025 23:09

Antonin Kinsky speaking to Sky Sports:

“I would say I’m a big dreamer, I always make my own visions of the future. Probably this dream I have never dreamt this one yeah, amazing.

“I’m really happy for the whole club. I came three days ago, everything worked so good, all the people are kind. I’m so happy for them and the whole team but this is just the first leg.”

Mike Jones8 January 2025 23:05

More from Postecoglou

The Tottenham boss also gave his thoughts on Antonin Kinsky’s debut, Dominic Solanke and what he thought of the VAR announcement.

Postecoglou said: “That is a big occasion for a young man [Antonin Kinsky making his debut]. He handled himself outstandingly.”

On Dominic Solanke he added: “I don’t know where he gets the energy from. He keeps soldiering on. An unbelievable finish, I thought we deserved it on the night. We deserved the victory and really pleased the players get rewards.

”If people think that announcement [of VAR’s decision to rule out Solanke’s goal] added anything to the game tonight then I am sorry. It used to be you put your flag up and the game goes on, but anyway.”

Mike Jones8 January 2025 23:01

Ange Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports:

“We are having to deal with adversity all the time. We started really well and then lost a key player. This lot are nothing if not resiliant and they keep going and they did today.

“It is incredible when you think we had a couple of 18-year-olds out there. I have just seen so much growth. I have no doubt we will get through this period and get players back, what I’ve found in the meantime is we have some real players to help us to be the team we want to be.”

Mike Jones8 January 2025 22:58

Van Dijk on whether Liverpool were below their best:

“At times I think we could have done better, that’s part of football as well. We try to play our best game, every one of us and at times we played through them nicely and created some one v ones and some dangerous moments. They were able to defend it better than they did when we played here a couple of weeks ago.

“We move on, we take it on the chin, it’s half-time, we have another 90 plus minutes to go and I’m really looking forward to them.”

Mike Jones8 January 2025 22:54

More from Virgil van Dijk speaking to Sky Sports:

“We played against an intense team with good attacking players, they can make it difficult, keep running.

“We created good moments, good opportunities at times, not really clear-cut chances in my opinion but still enough that we could have scored, unfortunately but we didn’t.

“It’s half-time now and I’m looking forward to the game back at Anfield.”

Mike Jones