Thu Jan 09 17:14:47 UTC 2025: **Tottenham Stuns Liverpool in League Cup Semifinal First Leg**
**London, England** – Tottenham Hotspur secured a thrilling 1-0 victory over defending champion Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semifinal on Wednesday, thanks to an 86th-minute goal from 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall. The young Swede’s stunning strike past Alisson ended Liverpool’s 24-match unbeaten run.
Despite a worrying early injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, who was stretchered off, Tottenham dominated periods of the match, creating several chances before Bergvall’s decisive goal. A Dominic Solanke goal was disallowed by VAR, while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah had a relatively quiet game. Tottenham’s new goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, also had a shaky moment, nearly conceding an early goal.
Liverpool, who had previously beaten Tottenham 6-3 in the Premier League, looked lethargic for stretches of the game despite strong finishes to both halves. A late chance for Liverpool saw Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shot cleared off the line.
The win provides a much-needed boost for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, whose team had struggled in recent weeks due to injuries. The victory moves Tottenham closer to their first trophy since the 2008 League Cup. The second leg will be played at Anfield next month, where Liverpool will be looking to overturn the deficit. Meanwhile, Newcastle United leads its semifinal against Arsenal 2-0 after winning the first leg on Tuesday.
First Piper 