A 1-0 win for Tottenham against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In the second half, in the 41 minutes of the match, Bergvall scored in excellent style, ending a move nicely worked by Solanke. This was the squad of Ange Postecoglou, which again beat Liverpool in the 24 matches it had been unbeaten for. The title drought began in 2008 and the hopes again ignited to win it this season.
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This semifinal first-leg victory brought welcome relief for the Spurs, who take the draw advantage into the decisive second leg at Anfield on February 6. The match was not as pulsating as the 6-3 Premier League showdown in December, but it had its moments of defining action.
Inside the opening five minutes, Dragusin almost put Tottenham ahead, forcing an outstanding save from Alisson. Liverpool did little to unsettle a well-organized Tottenham shape built studiously by the hand of Postecoglou. Then again, when a stalemate was expected to be on the cards, some neat work by Solanke saw Bergvall get a shot at being the hero of the day.
Words from the gaffer Ange Postecoglou
In a post-match press conference, manager Ange Postecoglou praised his charges for holding good on a night fraught with hurdles. "Yes, very proud. Again, we had to deal with some adversity tonight. I felt that we began the match with a pretty solid performance and lost Rodrigo Bentancur (who picked up an injury, before the distress of seeing his colleague go to ground in distress; we also then needed time for changes again in formation) and restarted from there again. I remain so proud of those players. Never not felt like that with these players, too."
The importance wasn't lost on boss Postecoglou, who seemed emotional as Spurs celebrated beside him: "Well, it's been an emotional time, and it's like I keep saying, I'm a human being, you know, like all of us, we're in these managerial roles, and we're supposed to, you know, I get it, we have positions of responsibility, but we're still human at heart, and we react to things. I don't like the fact that people working so hard for this club, on and off the field, haven't had that winning feeling. I don't feel good about our fans not having that feeling of victory. It weighs heavily on me. It's my responsibility."
Lucas Bergvall steps up
Eighteen-year-old Lucas Bergvall was the standout performer, scoring the decisive goal in a display that belied his age. Postecoglou hailed the young striker while he reserved his praise for the burgeoning talent within Tottenham's ranks: "Lucas was brilliant. Like I said, I haven't lost sight of the fact that we've got two 18-year-olds, one playing as a center-back, Archie Gray, not even his position. I just think people really don't grasp the level of performance these young guys are delivering right now.
The manager also underlined the maturity of Bergvall and how he has risen to the occasion in these crucial moments: "He's got this ability as a soccer player to create space for himself. He's got quality, but he also works really hard for the team. Like I said, we've been dealing with some adversity, no doubt, but we've seen growth in that, no question about it."
Tactical adjustments and resilience
Postecoglou on shape against Liverpool versus the previous encounter in the PL: "When people say my midfield set up was a bit more conservative today, well that's because I have only got three midfielders. Others were unavailable. Of course we did do that today the same.". Look, Liverpool doesn't allow you to dominate the game as much as other teams do, and our players, every three days, are playing a soccer match with no rest."
His comments brought into focus how the team had learned to make do with the limitations of the squad, an important reason for them to see off Liverpool, one of the most intense and deep teams in the world. The Spurs, without similar resources, showed discipline and will to win.
What's at stake at Anfield
The second leg at Anfield promises to be a true test for both teams. Liverpool, still leading the Premier League and Champions League group stage, will look to rally their home crowd to turn the tide. Meanwhile, Tottenham, buoyed by their home victory, must maintain their defensive focus and capitalize on opportunities to secure their spot in the final.
The final words by Postecoglou summed up what this win means to the club and its fans: "We haven't achieved anything, but I think that feeling of having a win against a great opponent in a big game… I'm really pleased for everyone."