The 86-minute blow of Lucas Bergvall gave Tottenham a 1-0 Liverpool victory in the first stage of the Cupao Cup semifinal.
After a 6-3 win for the Reds, when those groups met just a few weeks ago in the Premier League, expectations were raised for many targets and action-packed assemblies.
It was a more controlled affair, though, with 11 minutes of stoppage-time played in the first-half after Rodrigo Bentancur was stretchered off, having landed awkwardly when trying to flick on a header at the near post.
Dominic Solanke thought he had broken the deadlock with 15 minutes to be remaining, only for VAR to rule it out for an incredibly tight offside goal.
The Spurs striker played his role when the goal did come, running in behind and laying the ball off for Bergvall to sweep home, a timely moment for his first goal for the club.
Liverpool were furious that Bergvall was on the pitch to provide that winner, arguing minutes earlier that he should have been dismissed for a second yellow card having slid in and wiped out Kostas Tsimikas.
They were only on the clock six minutes when a long detention occurred due to a head injury for Bentancur.
The midfielder kidnapped on a stretcher in the 15th minute after looking to direct the floor of a corner, with Radu Dragusin denied through Alisson Becker a few moments later.
Later, the Spurs showed that Bentancur conscious and spoke and passed to the hospital to see new checks.
The nature of the tie continued with the young center of Liverpool, Jarell Quansah, forcing in a while after Mohamed Salah snuggled from outside the doors the penalty area.
Kinsky made his first prevention after 33 minutes, however, a regime to avoid the head of Alexis Mac Allister before Liverpool scored the first half.
Salah came on after a good run from Cody Gakpo, who almost surprised Kinsky a while later with a long-range shot before the Dutch striker broke the target as he ran out of torque at half-time.
Clear opportunities had been rare until the 56th minute, when the Spurs have taken the lead.
Bergvall brilliantly slide in on Alisson to win possession inside Liverpool’s penalty area and Pedro Porro was played in, but chipped wide much to Postecoglou’s frustration.
Slot made a triple substitution on the hour mark with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez introduced, but Salah was kept on the pitch.
The Egyptian almost helped create the advance with remaining 21 minutes when he played Núñez so that Kinsky lifted well to block the shot.
Alexander-Arnold controlled to beat Kinsky from a tight angle a few moments later, Dragusin returned to get rid of the line before Mac Allister drags his wide tracking.
Postcoglou had noticed enough and replaced the captain for his Heung-min with Werner, who ran forward from Alexander-Arnold, but sent his effort to the lateral network.
It lifted the home team and Tottenham thought they had taken the lead in the 76th-minute when Solanke latched on to Porro’s perfectly weighted pass and rolled past Alisson.
VAR was required and Solanke’s effort was eventually ruled out for offside, which referee Stuart Attwell announced to the whole stadium in a first for English football.
Attwell had to make some other resolution when Bergvall caught Tsimikas late, however, the already reserved Swedish midfielder has moved away from a shipment and had his life moment with 4 minutes.
Solanke impressively held off Ibrahima Konate and teed up Bergvall to drill into the bottom corner from 12 yards to spark big celebrations.
Seven minutes were added on and Tottenham needed debutant Kinsky to produce an outstanding full-stretch save to thwart Nunez to ensure they head to Anfield with a one-goal advantage.
Additional reports through Pa Sport.
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