London, Jan 9 (NationPress) Tottenham Hotspur made a crucial move towards breaking their 15-year trophy drought with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over reigning champions Liverpool in the first leg of the League Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Lucas Bergvall, the 18-year-old Swedish prodigy, became the match-winner, scoring his first goal for Spurs in the closing moments, thus ending Liverpool's impressive 24-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Under the management of Arne Slot, Liverpool entered the match as the favorites, having achieved a dominant 6-3 Premier League win against Tottenham only weeks earlier. Nonetheless, this League Cup encounter proved to be a stark contrast to that high-scoring match, as Tottenham battled through injuries while Liverpool struggled to regain their usual form.
Spurs, affected by multiple absences, handed a debut to goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and had to substitute midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur early on due to a serious injury. Despite these challenges, Tottenham demonstrated remarkable resilience and discipline, buoyed by the fervent home crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham started the game energetically, creating the better chances in a hectic first half. Radu Dragusin tested Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson with an early attempt, while Dominic Solanke came close after mishandling a Son Heung-min cross just wide of the goal.
Liverpool, unusually quiet, relied on sporadic moments of brilliance from their star player Mohamed Salah, but the Egyptian was largely contained by Spurs' organized defense. Cody Gakpo nearly surprised debutant keeper Kinsky with a speculative shot, but it ultimately went wide.
The first half experienced a lengthy stoppage due to Bentancur’s injury, which seemed to temporarily deflate Spurs. However, the home team remained a threat, energized by their youthful vigor and intense pressing.
The second half saw Tottenham relentlessly pursue the opening goal, with Alisson almost handing them the lead. Hesitating with the ball, the Brazilian keeper was dispossessed by Bergvall, who set up Pedro Porro. Unfortunately, Porro’s initial shot was expertly blocked by Virgil van Dijk, and his follow-up effort rolled just wide.
Liverpool also had their opportunities. Substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold nearly broke the deadlock with a powerful shot, only for Radu Dragusin to make a crucial goal-line clearance that showcased Tottenham’s determination.
Drama unfolded when Solanke believed he had scored, only for VAR to intervene. Referee Stuart Attwell became the first official in English football to communicate a VAR decision directly to the crowd, confirming the offside and keeping the scoreline level.
As the match approached the 90th minute, Spurs finally secured their breakthrough. Solanke, who had been relentless throughout the encounter, maneuvered past two defenders before passing to Lucas Bergvall. The young talent exhibited composure beyond his years, firing a brilliant shot past Alisson, igniting wild celebrations among the home supporters.
This defeat marked only Liverpool's second loss of the season.
