Lucas Bergvall's second-half goal will give Tottenham a 1-0 advantage going into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final matchup with Liverpool next month.
Whether the young Swede should have had the opportunity to convert the game-winning moment can be debated, but Spurs were worth it for their first-leg success on Wednesday.
Liverpool played poorly for the second straight game, but they still have a chance to win the match because the second leg is scheduled for Anfield next month.
The events of the game
Given the lack of rest his team has received over the last month, Arne Slot may have surprised some by playing at nearly full capacity on Wednesday night. Before the league leaders head to Nottingham Forest this weekend, Breathers should make an appearance against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup.
The Dutchman did, however, make four changes from the team that defeated them 6-3 in N17 prior to Christmas, with the majority of the switches going to defense.
Given the situation, Ange Postecoglou played as hard as he could, and Antonin Kinsky, a recent acquisition, made his goalkeeping debut right away. Yang Min-hyeok of South Korea was added to the bench.
In the first few minutes, Radu Dragusin made a brilliant save against Alisson, but Rodrigo Bentancur's ugly-looking head/neck injury stopped them in their tracks. Fortunately, the Uruguayan was later reported conscious after being stretchered off after a long pause in play.
The battle suffered from stoppages in the first period, and the anticipated mayhem never materialized. Perhaps eager to exact revenge for their crushing defeat in December, Tottenham put up a strong fight and led for the majority of the first half. However, the Reds gained ground after a slow and careless start, eventually driving the hosts into "cling-on" mode prior to halftime. However, Newbie Kinsky was hardly tried.
Although a Spurs opener should have sparked the match, there was no change in the dynamic following the restart. Pedro Porro mysteriously missed two gilt-edge opportunities after Bergvall put in countless hours to eventually get rid of a careless Alisson. Virgil van Dijk superbly blocked the first one.
With Liverpool determined to take advantage of them at Anfield next month, Slot decided to light a fuse with a triple change. Trent Alexander-Arnold, one of the competitors, nearly scored with a luxurious half-volley, but Dragusin skillfully stopped the Englishman on the line.
After Dominic Solanke finished past Alisson after latching onto a fantastic Porro ball, the hosts believed they had grabbed a valuable lead. However, VAR was there to dampen Lilywhite's hopes with Stuart Attwell, who confirmed that Solanke was offside through the medium of speech (!).
However, the Tottenham striker was instrumental in the first and final goal. Solanke set Bergvall up, and after fending off Ibrahima Konate and spotting the charging Swede, Bergvall finished coolly.
Spurs hung on and will bring a valuable lead to Anfield in February after Liverpool failed to shift gears in the aftermath.
Liverpool has tasks to complete.
Slot may have been eager to finish this semi-final match away from home, but his team choice also showed respect for the hosts.
But only a few weeks after thrashing the Lilywhites, Liverpool stumbled through Wednesday's first leg after escaping with a point against Manchester United on Sunday.
The Reds were mainly cautious and slow in N17, however there were several classic pushes. It took some time for Tottenham's strong forward line to enter the game after they suppressed their early build-up. Passes went awry as Slot's team displayed an unprecedented lack of unity. The hosts' relentless effort out of possession and their careless play without the ball contributed to their incapacity to generate opportunities.
A 1-0 deficit is by no means insurmountable, particularly as the second match will take place at a stadium where better Tottenham teams have previously perished quickly. But Slot has enough to think about.
Young players from Tottenham step up
Although Postecoglou's decision to bench Lucas Bergvall during the second half of Spurs' loss to Newcastle on Saturday was widely criticized, the Swede's freshness was needed against the Reds due to the suspensions of Pape Sarr and James Maddison.
At first, it seemed that Bergvall would be given the opportunity to thrive in a free midfield position, but Ange had to modify tactics due to Bentancur's forced departure. The youthful midfielder had to be positioned closer to Yves Bissouma due to Dejan Kulusevski's transfer infield, but the Bergvall seemed unfazed, as he played a more controlled role on Saturday.
Bergvall exemplifies the guts and fearlessness their manager encourages them to play with, as do the equally remarkable Archie Gray and Djed Spence. Bergvall's effort without the ball was exceptional, and Spence didn't care that Mohamed Salah was the closest person there, even though Gray stepped up imperiously.
The 18-year-old was the worthy winner of Wednesday night's contest, albeit it may have been his luck to stay on the field.
Antonin Kinsky's outstanding debut
Johan Lange worked quietly to close Tottenham's first transaction of the month, but they still have a lot of work to do in the January transfer market. Antonin Kinsky, a 21-year-old Czech goalie, was unknown to 98% of the fan base prior to rumors that he would soon arrive.
On debut, nevertheless, he would have gained a lot of admirers.
Kinsky's work with the ball was excellent throughout, as he demonstrated the ability to loft deft passes over pressers and hit raking long balls in behind. Usually, he waited until the last minute to release in order to ensure a few hearts among the Tottenham supporters stopped, but his short sleeves are an aesthetic question mark.
Although Kinsky made a great onrushing save to deny Darwin Nunez in the second half and cleverly tipped an inventive effort from the Uruguayan around the post in stoppage time, most of Liverpool's efforts were easy stops.
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