Match Overview
On January 8th, Tottenham Hotspur competed against Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup and won 1-0 in the Spurs stadium. The goal which changed the scores came from Lucas Bergvall towards the end of the match. This victory permits Tottenham to have an edge over Liverpool, owing to the fact that if they wish to remain in the competition then Liverpool will have so much more to accomplish. The goal that Lucas Bergvall scored helped Spurs win the match as well. The match began on a stressful note for both Liverpool and Spurs, both teams made their best efforts to secure their position in the Carabao Cup finals at any cost.
First Half Highlights
The match started with pace and it was Tottenham who came up with the first real opportunity. Radu Dragusin’s header in the first few minutes forced Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, into a low, A-grade save. This early offensive provided the groundwork for the Spurs, who kept putting themselves up the left flank in this way.
Heung-Min Son was the most active player for Tottenham, running rings around Liverpool’s defense. But Liverpool didn’t sit idle as they made attempts via Salah and Alex Mac Allister which either went begging or was in between the sticks for Antonin Kinsky, the Spurs goalkeeper.
Because of the several ‘promise moments’ from Liverpool during the match, it was tough for the team to settle into its rhythm in the first half. There was a long halt when Rodrigo Bentancur was injured in a nasty tackle only to be stretchered away. This disruption seem to disturb both the teams, as both the teams tried to get back the lost momentum and still were unsuccessful.
As the half drew on, the Liverpool team started to settle a little and engineered a few more chances. Jota almost made an impact in the dying moments of the first half, but unfortunately on the night, poor connection meant that the effort was routinely gathered by Kinsky. The first half came to a close, and both teams failed to perform up to the expectations in the goal department.
The Second Half Dynamics
The crucial first goal was desired by both sides in the last half of the match. Tottenham was unyielding and came closer when Bergvall stole a pass which Alisson made from the edge of the box. On the other side, Liverpool also impressed with their robust defending as Virgil van Dijk blocked Pedro Porro’s subsequent shot.
Liverpool had some tactical changes around the hour mark by introducing Darwin Núñez. Apart from him, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz also came in with the hope of revolutionizing the Liverpool attack. But Nunez, even before he had time to get settled, blasted a superb header which Kinsky fended off quite elegantly. Both sets of players went after that elusive goal to make the match more exciting.
Finally, Tottenham ended the deadlock which they had been in for what felt like eternity, in the 86th minute. While receiving a cut-back from Dominic Solanke, Bergvall directed the ball to the bottom corner which was a perfectly placed shot. That last second goal, was more than what the Spurs fans needed, looking for a pivotal moment in the competition.
Added Time Drama and VAR Controversy
In the added minutes, Liverpool almost equalized when Nunez attempted a cheeky volley from a Diaz cross, but Kinsky was equal to it and shoved it wide. Tottenham managed to nurse their narrow lead as they head Gelled into the second match which will be played on the 6th of February at Anfield.
Earlier in the match, Spurs fans were angry after Solanke’s goal was ruled offside by the VAR while going for a break. This decision was a source of annoyance for the Spurs fans as they believed that their vigorous effort during the major part of the game warranted a different outcome.
