Tottenham Hotspur claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory against EFL Cup holders Liverpool in the first leg of their semi-final clash, securing just their second clean sheet in 12 matches and gaining a crucial edge in the tie.
New signing Antonin Kinský made his debut in goal, the second Spurs goalkeeper to do so in consecutive matches, as manager Ange Postecoglou continued to navigate an injury-hit squad.
Despite these challenges, Tottenham started brightly against the Premier League leaders. However, their momentum was disrupted when Rodrigo Bentancur was stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah had a rare chance midway through the half, dragging a shot wide, as both sides struggled to find rhythm in a first half punctuated by injuries, including one to Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah. The teams went into the break at 0-0, leaving much to play for in the second half.
Postecoglou, who has yet to see a goalless draw since taking charge in July 2023, nearly witnessed a breakthrough early in the second half. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s hesitation under pressure from Lucas Bergvall led to Pedro Porro attempting an audacious chip, which narrowly missed.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot responded with a triple substitution, introducing Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The latter came close to scoring, only to see his shot cleared off the line by Spurs defender Radu Drăgușin.
The game seemed destined for a stalemate until the final moments when Tottenham found a decisive moment. Dominic Solanke chased a long ball before setting up Bergvall, who slotted home his first goal for Spurs, sending the home crowd into raptures.
The late strike ended Liverpool’s nine-match unbeaten streak in the competition and handed Tottenham a slender advantage heading into the second leg at Anfield.
With the second leg looming, Spurs are now just one game away from ending their 17-year trophy drought, dating back to their 2007/08 League Cup triumph.
Meanwhile, Liverpool face a daunting task to overturn the deficit, having suffered their first away defeat since April.
