New Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky confessed his debut in a 1-0 Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool was beyond his wildest dreams.
Kinsky only finished his permanent movement to the Spurs on Sunday from Slavia Praga, but a high -profile Deyet passed on Wednesday through Ange Postecoglou and played a vital role in giving his new club a slight merit in the semifinal first leg.
The 21-year-old made two key saves to deny Liverpool substitute Darwin Nunez in the second half, either side of Lucas Bergvall’s 86th-minute winner, before he embraced his sister in the stand at full-time after Tottenham held on for a precious triumph.
“Yes, I would say that a win against Liverpool, in the semi-final in Carabao, a nil with a blank sheet, is a start,” smiles Kinsky.
“I am a big dreamer but with my legs on the ground. I probably hadn’t had this dream until now, so I’m very pleased to revel in it.
“I am so happy that my family were here and they saw it. I am happy for them.”
While Kinsky had played 29 times for Slavia Prague this season and kept 14 clean sheets, it was a big decision for Postecoglou to immediately put his new addition behind a makeshift defence ahead of veteran Fraser Forster and Brandon Austin, who impressed against Newcastle on Saturday.
However, it paid dividends with Kinsky’s composure in possession being greater than that of his fellow Czech Republic Youth International goalkeepers, who were more than happy to play out from the back.
Kinsky reserved praise for Tottenham goalkeeping coach Rob Burch when he reflected on a dream debut.
Yes, I would say that the first part is normal, but in the second part I felt safe and that is how I must play later.
He told Spursplay: “I like to play a lot. I would say with confidence, but I don’t like to take risks. There is still a difference between intelligence play, confidence play, and risk play.
“I arrived 3 days ago. I had two educational sessions, one with the team and one with the goalkeeping coach, so they gave me the rhythm.
“Yeah, the first half I would say that’s how it is, but in the moment I felt confident and that’s how I need to play later.
“I have to say that the boys helped me a lot in the adaptation because they wanted to play. They were also confident.
“I also have to mention the coaches, all the staff and especially the goalkeeper coach who spoke to me a lot, who gave me the vision of what the game and the premier League and now Carabao is.
“It helped me a lot to have this information and to be able to work with it.
“I was lucky to have the chance to save them (from the shots) and it wasn’t rubbish or anything like that, which happens a lot in the Premier League because I see it a lot.
“Happy for the entire club because I arrive, a big club, many people worried and all are very friendly. Everyone helped me so much that I felt safe from the beginning.
Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur proved to be “all right” after leaving the area on a stretcher following an injury in the sixth minute.
Bentancur wrote on his Instagram story: “All good, guys! Thank you for the messages. Congratulations for the victory boys!”
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