Lucas Bergvall’s strike gives them a solitary goal win in first leg of League Cup semifinals
London: 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 lead Arsenal 2-0 after the first leg of the other semifinal match.
First time in English football!
London: For the first time in English football, a referee has made an NFL-style in-stadium announcement about the outcome of a video review.
Stuart Attwell, the referee for the clash between Tottenham and Liverpool in the English League Cup on Wednesday, used the public address system to announce that a goal by Spurs striker Dominic Solanke in the 76th minute had been ruled out for offside. Attwell communicated the decision via a wireless microphone to spectators inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and to TV viewers.
Attwell spoke after a VAR review lasting around two minutes and said Solanke had been in an offside position for the goal that looked like putting Tottenham 1-0 ahead. Ten minutes later, Solanke set up Lucas Bergvall to score in Spurs’ 1-0 win in the first leg of the semifinals.
