The match is over and the final score is Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool. Bergvall's late winner gives Postecoglou the lead in the semi-finals.
League Cup 2024/2025
1-0
- Lucas Bergvall (86')
Competition events
0' The match is about to start!
6' Drăgușin's shot was saved and Bentancur fell without any confrontation
15' Bentancur was carried off the field and Johnson came on as a substitute
21' Son made a cross from the left and Solanke's heel shot was saved by Alisson
23' Salah's low left-footed shot outside the penalty area went wide of the post.
29' Quansah was injured and dropped out and Endo came on as a substitute
32' Yellow card! Booked Bissouma
33' McAllister's header in the penalty area was caught by Kinski
49' Salah's right-foot shot outside the penalty area went over the crossbar
50' Gakpo's shot outside the penalty area was saved by Kinsky
56' Alisson's mistake was intercepted and Porro's shot was blocked by Van Dijk
59' That was close! Salah's lob was saved by Kinský
60' 3 subs! Arnold, Nunez and Díaz came on as substitutes
62' Núñez's header in the penalty area was caught by Kinský
68' Yellow card! Lucas Bergvall booked
71' Drăgușin made a goal-line save to block Arnold's low-angle shot
73' Werner comes on as a substitute for Son Heung-min
78' What a shame! Solanke scored with a low shot, but was ruled offside
85' GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool (Lucas Bergvall)
93' match event for Tottenham vs Liverpool
95' Highlight of Tottenham vs Liverpool
Match report
Lucas Bergvall proved the late hero as Tottenham took a controversial 1-0 lead over Liverpool in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Bergvall's first goal for the club came with just four minutes remaining at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, giving Spurs a narrow lead to take to Anfield for the return fixture on February 6.
Dominic Solanke had already had a goal disallowed ten minutes earlier when a VAR review found the striker to be offside after coolly passing past Alisson following a through ball from Pedro Porro.
Spurs flew out of the blocks when Alisson Radu Dragusin denied Son Heung-min's cross early on, although concerns were raised for Rodrigo Bentancur shortly afterwards as he left the field on a stretcher.
The midfielder fell unchallenged after just six minutes, resulting in a lengthy stoppage for medical attention, before the club subsequently confirmed Bentancur was conscious and on his way to hospital for a check-up.
Porro should have scored before the hour mark, but saw his effort for an open goal blocked by Virgil van Dijk after Alisson had given possession to the right back, who moments later went wide.
Substitute Darwin Nunez failed to beat debutant Antonin Kinsky one-on-one from a tight angle, while Trent Alexander-Arnold's delightful drive was cleared off the line by a well-placed Dragusin.
Porro's incisive pass left Solanke offside before Liverpool looked to send off Bergvall for a second yellow card after a late challenge on Kostas Tsimikas.
That decision infuriated Arne Slot and his anger only increased when Bergvall came back to haunt the visitors with the decisive goal when he placed Solanke's cutback pass into the bottom right corner.
Lucas Bergvall. pic.twitter.com/KKkxCsHUF4
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2025
Data debrief: Hard-fought clash gives both sides hope
Liverpool – who are aiming to reach back-to-back finals for the first time since a run of four between 1981 and 1984 – will still be confident despite the defeat, having progressed from seven of their last nine EFL Cup draws semi-finals.
However, Slot's side suffered only their second defeat in their last 20 league games, leaving Spurs with a slim advantage when they travel to Anfield next month.
Bergvall will be the toast of Tottenham after becoming the youngest player, aged just 18 years and 341 days, to score for Spurs in the EFL Cup since Gareth Bale in September 2007 (18 years and 72 days against Middlesbrough).
Setups
Tottenham XI: Son, Solanke, Bentancur, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Djed Spence, Pedro Porro, Radu Drăgușin, Antonín Kinský, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall
Subs: Werner, Reguilon, Austin, Brennan Johnson, Alfie Dorrington, Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore, Callum Olusesi, Min-hyeok Yang
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Salah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Jota, Cody Gakpo, Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Gravenberch, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley
Subs: W. Endo, Robertson, Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Chiesa, Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Elliott
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