BERGVALL'S SMASH & GRAB

Swede's late strike gives Spurs a slight edge in tie

- John Cross

IT is hard to believe these two teams played out a nine-goal thriller just 17 days before.

And yet the same fixture went from feast to famine and Tottenham turned a 6-3 defeat last month into a 1-0 victory after a tense and hard-fought Carabao Cup semi-final.

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall was the late hero with an 86th-minute winner to give Ange Postecoglou's men a narrow lead for the return leg at Anfield. But it also left Liverpool furious as Bergvall was lucky to still be on the pitch as he had been booked, then escaped a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas only to rub salt into the wound.

It was a strange off night for Liverpool who were sloppy. Spurs deserved it as they had good chances with Pedro Porro missing another sitter. It was such a glaring miss that Postecoglou sank to his knees in utter despair.

But, by the end, Tottenham's fans were singing about going to Wembley and dreaming of a first trophy since 2008.

Equally it was a night when football was also put into perspective because Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur collapsed in the first half.