Eighteen-year-old Lucas Bergvall’s first goal for Tottenham gave his side a valuable 1-0 lead at Anfield in their Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool – albeit a controversial winner.
Arne Slott’s Reds were convincing 6-3 winners when these sides met in the Premier League in north London in December, but this was a tighter, error-filled contest in which the top two goalscorers in the Premier League lacked their usual sharpness in the final third – all while Dominic Solanke did not impressively beat Ibrahima Konate for Bergvall to score in the 86th minute.
Liverpool were looking for a foul – and a possible second yellow – when Bergvall slipped Kostas Tsimikas minutes before he scored. But referee Stuart Attwell waved it on and later decided not to penalize the Spurs teenager. Tsimikas was then off the field, after being helped, when Bergvall scored.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was furious. “[The ref] in my opinion he was wrong and I told him so. I think it was quite obvious and everyone on the sideline knew it should have been a yellow. There’s a linesman, a fourth official, there’s VAR and a referee, and he doesn’t get a second yellow. I’m not saying that’s why we lost today, but it was a big moment in the game.”
Solanke had already seen his own goal flagged for offside, and referee Attwell made the VAR call over the loudspeaker for the first time. The news was met with jeers from Spurs fans and celebratory cheers from Liverpool fans – but the mood of those fans changed with Bergvall’s late intervention.
For Ange Postecoglou and his group, this could be a big moment in their development. Spurs entered the game already very exhausted and with the new signing Antonin Kinsky inserted for his debut in goal. They then lost Rodrigo Bentancur to a worrying injury in the first half which saw the midfielder taken off on a stretcher and then taken to hospital.
But with Kinsky impressing in his first game, including a sharp save in second-half stoppage time to keep out Darwin Nunez, Spurs were able to limit Liverpool’s lack of colour. They could have been ahead earlier, with Pedro Porro seeing a shot blocked and then firing over the bar when Bergvall caught Alisson in possession. But Radu Dragusin should have blocked Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fierce shot from the line.
Slott’s side have had a slow start to the New Year, dropping points at home to Manchester United in the Premier League and now leave London with an uphill battle to turn this game around in the second leg on Thursday 6 February.
Controversial Spurs goal: Why did Liverpool want Bergvall sent off?
68: Lucas Bergvall is booked for a sliding tackle on Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.
84: Bergvall throws in Kostas Tsimikas. Referee Stuart Attwell plays the advantage which leads to Darwin Nunez shooting at goal. Play was then stopped so Tsimikas could be treated, but there was no penalty for Bergvall, despite protests from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
86: Two minutes and five seconds after Bergvall’s attack, he makes a breakthrough for Spurs, while Tsimikas waits on the sidelines to return to the field after treatment. The Liverpool manager was shown a yellow card by referee Attwell for complaining about the situation. Spurs’ goal came directly from a questionable ball.
Postecoglou praises Spurs’ resilience
Tottenham safe Ange Postecoglou:
“We have to deal with adversity all the time. We started the game very well, and almost scored a little before [the Bentancur injury]. Then we lose a key player in such circumstances. But all my players are resilient and keep going, and they did it today.
“It’s amazing when you think we’ve got a couple of 18-year-olds playing out of position. A left-back who isn’t a left-back and a goalkeeper making his debut.
“The boys did their best, we had to work hard. They brought in significant talent and we can’t make those changes. But the boys kept going and we got the goal we deserved.”
Slot: I never felt we were going to lose
Liverpool safe Arne slot:
“I never felt we were going to lose this game. Spurs started better than us but after that we had control, a lot more possession. If you go down to 10 for a few seconds against a team that can play as good football as Tottenham can [score].
“If you ever have to lose a game, it’s better when there’s still a return game to play. It’s far from ideal.
“I don’t think we will reach that level [of the 6-3 win] in every game we play. We all know how important it is for us, as well as Spurs fans, to go to the final. We knew it would never be the same game as it was two weeks ago.”
The story of the match in statistics…
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