Bergvall gives us first-leg advantage in Carabao Cup semi-final

Lucas Bergvall chose the perfect moment to open his goalscoring account for us as he netted the winner on Wednesday evening as we edged past Liverpool in the first leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final to perfectly set up the return at Anfield next month.

The Swedish midfielder struck with just four minutes left of an enthralling cup tie, on what was his 21st appearance in our colours, as we battled to victory against a team which swept us aside here 6-3 in the Premier League just a matter of weeks ago.

And while Bergvall was the hero at one end, Antonin Kinsky was the star at the other, the Czech goalkeeper producing a superb performance with his hands and his feet on his debut, having only joined us at the weekend.

All in all, it was an excellent display across the team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as we inflicted Liverpool’s first away defeat of the season in all competitions. The only downside of the evening was an injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, who was carried off on a stretcher early in the contest.

We made a bright start in the early stages and almost went ahead on six minutes, Heung-Min Son’s drive back into the box from a corner falling to Radu Dragusin but his snap-shot was saved by Alisson. There was immediate concern for Bentancur though, who went down untouched in the box with players rushing to his aid. A lengthy stoppage ensued before the midfielder was carried off to a standing ovation and he was replaced by Brennan Johnson.

Once the game got underway again, there was a good tempo about the contest and we continued to look sharp with Dominic Solanke poking just wide at the near post from Son’s cross while Mo Salah fired a yard wide at the other end. In the 33rd minute, a Kostas Tsimikas free-kick found Alexis Mac Allister unmarked 10 yards out but his header was straight at Kinsky, his first save in our colours. He was called into action again five minutes into 11 added on at the end of the first half, getting down low to keep out Cody Gakpo’s 25-yard drive, who then curled over the bar as the visitors finished the half the stronger and we went in goalless at the break.

There was plenty of endeavour from both teams at the start of the second period and we had a glorious chance to break the deadlock in the 56th minute. Excellent pressing from Bergvall saw him nick the ball off the toes of Alisson, Pedro Porro’s initial effort towards an empty net was blocked by Virgil van Dijk, Bergvall got the ball back and played in Porro again however this time he clipped the ball over Alisson and wide of the far post.

That sparked the game into life, Kinsky doing well to keep out Salah’s lobbed cross before he kept out Darwin Nunez’s header and then made an excellent stop to deny Nunez again after the Liverpool forward was played in by Salah. The visitors were stepping up the tempo and went close when Trent Alexander-Arnold, also off the bench, powered a shot towards goal which Dragusin did superbly to clear off the line. Then we had the ball in the back of the net on 77 minutes, Solanke played in behind the Liverpool defence by Porro and slotting past Alisson, only for a VAR check to rule it out for offside. History was made in the process in fact, as referee Stuart Attwell announced the decision over the tannoy, a first in English football.

We shrugged off that disappointment though and did find the breakthrough with four minutes of normal time left. Solanke did superbly well to latch onto a long ball forward and hold off Ibrahima Konate, before turning inside and laying a square pass for Bergvall who slotted into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Liverpool threw everything at us in the final stages and it needed a stunning one-handed save from Kinsky to tip Nunez’s effort past the post from a Luis Diaz cross. But we weathered the storm, preserved the clean sheet and now have everything to play for when we head to Anfield. Team news saw new signing Kinsky come straight in for his debut in goal in one of four changes from the Newcastle match at the weekend. It was Kinsky, Yves Bissouma, Bentancur and Son in for Brandon Austin, Pape Matar Sarr, Johnson and Timo Werner. South Korean teenager Yang Min-Hyeok was named in our matchday squad for the first time after joining us this month.

Match data

Goal: Spurs – Bergvall 86.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Bissouma, Bergvall.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Light winds, one degree.

Attendance: 59,037.