Match Report: Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool: Lucas Bergvall comes of age in Carabao Cup semi-final
Tottenham Hotspur will be taking a one-goal lead to Anfield as they look to secure a spot in the final of the 2025 Carabao Cup.
I’ve been hearing a strange noise in my head ever since the game: BERGVALL ARRIVES… AND SPURS LEAD THE TIE! That’s it; that’s all I can think about.
The young Swede might have been fortunate to stay on the pitch, but he’s just delivered one of the sweetest victories Spurs fans have seen in ages.
About the team news; Three days. That’s all Antonin Kinsky had after signing to prepare for his Tottenham debut. And what an introduction he had! Kinsky looked as calm as a seasoned pro, and you could’ve sworn he’d been at Spurs for years.
And let’s talk about Arne Slot’s lineup; he showed no mercy. The excuse of “Liverpool played with their second team” is off the table. Slot played his big guns fielding a near full-strength lineup, and Spurs, with 10 first-team injuries, came away with the win against the defending champions. Let’s have a look at the match report.
First-half: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Liverpool
It started quickly, with Spurs having an early shot from Radu Dragusin, diverted by Son, which forced a good save from Alisson in just the sixth minute. But then, the unfortunate struck; Rodrigo Bentancur landed awkwardly during that corner.
He had to be stretchered off with an oxygen mask—a sight no one wanted to see. Thankfully, the club later confirmed he was conscious and talking, but losing him was still a blow.
With the injury overshadowing the rest of the first 45, the half ended goalless, with both teams boasting similar xGs (Spurs 0.34, Liverpool 0.36). Despite the equal stats, Spurs arguably looked the better side.
Second-half: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Liverpool
The second half brought all the chaos we love and hate. Alisson, normally a picture of composure, fumbled a back pass from Gakpo, almost gifting Spurs a goal. Pedro Porro had a chance to capitalise but somehow managed to miss. Ange was on the ground and so were Spurs fans.
Spurs thought they had taken the lead when Solanke latched onto a Porro-long ball and slotted past Alisson. But VAR, in its grainy, low-resolution glory, ruled it out for offside. It’s ironic. The same VAR that ignored Van Dijk’s stamp on Dominic Solanke’s calf dared to intervene here. Still, rules are rules, right?
A controversial moment then occurred when Lucas Bergvall narrowly avoided a second yellow card. His first booking didn’t make much sense to me, so it seemed fair. As I watched, I couldn’t help but imagine how ironic it would be if he ended up scoring for Spurs—and then, it happened…
Bergvall, just seconds after escaping a red card, popped up in the 86th minute to slot the ball into the bottom corner. Solanke battled Konate to win the ball and set up the young Swede, who made no mistake.
The Liverpool staff were fuming but I was more than happy to see them annoyed by a VAR decision. As they say, what goes around comes around.
- READ MORE: Who is Lucas Bergvall? Tottenham’s teenage star’s salary, career stats, and position explained
Takeaways
- Antonin Kinsky – If the word “ice-cold” had a face
Oh boy. The man was a gem in the making. A clean sheet, six saves, including that insane last-minute reflex save against Nunez? I wasn’t nervous once when Spurs played it back to the keeper. The calmness he brought to the defence was exactly what they needed. - Dragusin’s redemption arc
After a rough outing against Newcastle, Dragusin was immense. His goal-line clearance in the second half was heroic, and he did his aerial duties well. He kept Liverpool’s long-ball threats in check brilliantly. - Pedro Porro again
Porro was pivotal in the attack providing two brilliant long balls, even if one led to an offside goal and his defensive work was solid. He intercepted, recovered, and stuck to his duties. - Djed Spence – Salah’s nightmare
Salah might need therapy after this. Spence held him at bay, winning eight duels, the most in the match. He was fantastic once again, yes once again as his performance went under the radar a bit because of the scoreline last time against Liverpool, but he deserves praise for limiting Salah’s impact this time as well. - Bergvall steps us
He might have escaped a second yellow, but I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t thrilled to see him get on the scoresheet. Kulusevski was quiet throughout the game and Spurs needed someone to bring in the liveliness and creativity, thankfully, Bergvall stepped up.
The road ahead
It’s only half the battle won and there’s a long, tough 90 minutes to go at Anfield. The second leg looms large, and Spurs’ track record there isn’t exactly appealing—it’s been over a decade since they’ve tasted victory on Merseyside. But there’s hope.
By 6 February, Spurs might have key players back from injury, and the January transfer window could bring some fresh signings that would bolster the squad further.
For now, let’s enjoy the feeling of waking up to a win (it’s been so long). And for any complaints about the ball; as long as our opponents play with the same one, it shouldn’t be a problem.
The post Match Report: Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool: Lucas Bergvall comes of age in Carabao Cup semi-final appeared first on Spurs Web.