Bergvall gives Tottenham Carabao Cup semi-final lead to Liverpool fury | Carabao Cup

Tottenham feared it would become a story of a new view of VAR pain. With 77 minutes on the clock, this Carabao Cup semi-final was finally bubbling and Dominic Solanke thought he had put Spurs in front. It was not only a fine finish from Pedro Porro’s searching through play, but a goal with rich narrative potential. This was a striker, remember, who had not enjoyed himself at Liverpool earlier in his career.

Enter the referee, Stuart Attwell, to explain, live and miked up, that Solanke had been offside. Attwell even blew his whistle into his microphone, which was a little jarring. And yet there would be a twist. A glorious one in the eyes of Spurs, one to fuel the dream of a first trophy since 2008. And one to make Liverpool furious. Lucas Bergvall, the early talented Spurs midfielder, should have been sent off to clear Kostas Tsimikas. He already had a yellow card.

But now there was Bergvall, time almost up, stepping onto a cut-back from Solanke to whip past Alisson. The stadium fell into bedlam. For Liverpool there were accusations, a rare bump in the road under Arne Slot.

Ange Postecoglou isn’t exactly spoiled for choice at the moment; how he must envy Slot, whose strong starting XI was entirely by design. He had left a host of key players back on Merseyside for the quarter-final win at Southampton. Not here. Even his bench felt like a statement.

It was easy to feel the ghosts of Liverpool’s previous visits; the 6-3 league win before Christmas, a result that flattered Spurs. Postecoglou is not one for compromise, but there have been a few adjustments of late; the full-backs don’t bomb as much, the midfield a little more solid.

Postecoglou had started with Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in front of the back four, but he was forced to change in the early run. It was not immediately clear what had happened to Bentancur after Son Heung-min returned a Spurs corner into the danger area and Radu Dragusin pulled off a smart save from Alisson.

Bentancur had thrown himself into a bent header from the initial delivery and he simply did not move from the ground, players from both teams waving the medics on immediately. Bentancur was treated for about eight minutes before being taken away on a stretcher. The lack of television replays of the incident when it happened enhanced its gravity; the levels of concern. Spurs would report at halftime that Bentancur was conscious, talking and due for a hospital check.

Postecoglou introduced Brennan Johnson on the right wing, moved Dejan Kulusevski inside and it was more like 4-3-3, with Lucas Bergvall staying high most of the time in central midfield. The responsibility on Bissouma was huge and he played fast and loose, picking up a booking in the first half after finding himself on the wrong side of Diogo Jota.

Liverpool started slowly; there were errors from them on the ball – a high number of them. Some required double takes. What, really? Castle’s side had to shuffle themselves when Jarell Quansah felt something and came off just before the half hour mark. On came Wataru Endo; he had played in central defense at Southampton.

Liverpool grew as a first half that featured 11 extra minutes. Conor Bradley, starting ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, was a physical, driving presence. The visitors threatened to come in with overlaps up the left.

The chances were at a premium before the break. Son crossed for Dominic Solanke after 22 minutes, but the center forward couldn’t get the back wheel to work. Solanke could have been offside.

Liverpool’s best moment came when Kostas Tsimikas teed up Alexis MacAllister with a cross. It was on a plate, but Mac Allister headed straight at Antonin Kinsky, who had been thrust straight into the team following his arrival from Slavia Prague on Sunday. There was almost a moment of horror for Kinsky when he slipped while addressing a routine shot from Cody Gakpo before recovering just in time.

Kinsky had the guts to make the ‘calm down’ gesture; it was all under control. What a baptism it was for the 21-year-old, who had only participated in two training sessions with his new teammates. He has played in the Europa League this season. This was another level.

Tensions simmered. Postecoglou was animated in his technical area, which feels like an increasingly common sight. He was on his knees in agony just before the hour when Spurs blew a golden chance for the opening goal.

Alisson almost got away with a drag-back under pressure from Bergvall, but not when he shook and was robbed by the young Swede. The ball broke for Porro whose shot was blocked by Virgil van Dijk with Alisson off target. Another break, a Bergvall pass and there was Porro, gloriously placed. His chipped finish lacked conviction and drifted wide.

Slot flexed its muscles and introduced Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez in one fell swoop. His team pressed on. Salah flickered. He would release Núñez up the inside right; Kinsky made a big block. There was also the moment Alexander-Arnold fired a first-time shot from an angle of venomous power which flew past Kinsky. Dragusin would make an excellent clearance from the line behind him.