Tottenham beats Liverpool 1-0 in English cup semis after a serious injury and in-stadium ref call

Lucas Bergvall’s first goal for Tottenham secured a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the English League Cup semifinals on Wednesday in a first-leg match notable for a serious-looking injury to Rodrigo Bentancur and the first in-stadium announcement by a referee in the English game.

The 18-year-old Bergvall slotted home the winner in the 86th minute following a pass from Dominic Solanke, who thought 10 minutes earlier that he had given Tottenham the lead. That goal was ruled out after a VAR check for offside and referee Stuart Attwell communicated the decision via a wireless microphone to spectators inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and to TV viewers.

In the sixth minute, Bentancur — the Uruguay midfielder who plays for Tottenham — fell to the ground and lay prone after landing awkwardly when attempting a header from a corner. He was carried off on a stretcher, to applause from around the ground, after receiving treatment during a 10-minute delay and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed after the game that Bentancur was “conscious” and talking.

The second leg is at Anfield on Feb. 6.

Newcastle leads Arsenal 2-0 after the first leg of the other semifinal match.

Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall, right scores the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Liverpool, the defending League Cup champion, saw its 24-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end and there was a hint of controversy about only the team’s second loss of the season.

Visiting players and manager Arne Slot were unhappy that Bergvall was on the field to score what proved to be the winning goal after he escaped collecting a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas moments earlier. Indeed, Tsimikas was off the field, waiting to come back on having received treatment following Bergvall’s tackle, when the Sweden midfielder tucked home his finish.

Slot earned a yellow card himself for his protests, though he shook Attwell’s hand after the final whistle.

“The decision he made had a lot of impact on the result tonight,” Slot said.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said it was “quite obvious” that Bergvall deserved a second yellow card.

Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

“And a minute later he scores the winner,” Van Dijk said. “He (Attwell) made a mistake, in my opinion. And I told him that.”

It was a busy end to the match for Attwell, who took center stage after there was a video review following Solanke’s strike in the 76th minute. After being notified that Solanke was offside, Attwell used the public address system to declare the goal had been ruled out, in an NFL-style announcement.

The League Cup semifinals were chosen to pilot a process in England that has been widely used in other sports, and in soccer at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and other FIFA events.

Kinsky’s dream debut

Three days after signing from Sparta Prague, Antonín Kinský — a 21-year-old goalkeeper from the Czech Republic — was handed his debut by Tottenham and he kept a clean sheet after producing a string of great saves, notably from Liverpool substitute Darwin Nunez.