Tottenham Hotspurs quest for a trophy is still on as the side put together a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Coming into the game, the hope was for Ange Postecglou to put forth an XI that was worth it to gun for the win despite the nagging injuries that are absent so far. On the other side, Pep Guardiola had stated after the third-round win that he would field a team of kids.
Starting six senior players and a few kids in the lineup for the Blues, Tottenham took its opportunity to leave its mark in front of the fans.
It took five minutes into the game for the first goal to be scored as Spurs led a beautiful counter from Archie Gray at right back. Sending a pass down the right touchline to Brennan Johnson, the Welshman hit a quick first-time flick to Dejan Kulusevski to run onto the ball and lead a 3-on-2 charge with Dominic Solanke and Timo Werner in both channels.
Kulusevski took three dribbles before sending a perfect low driven cross through the middle of the field for Werner to roll up on the ball for a first-time shot into the far post before Rico Lewis could get his sliding challenge in.
Leading 1-0, Spurs faced its first big challenge of the night in the 10th minute when Micky Van de Ven put in a sliding challenge on Savinho but came up holding his right hamstring. Dealing with hamstring issues his entire career, Van de Ven went down and looked distraught and teary-eyed as another hamstring injury took him off the pitch as fans sang his name loud and proud.
Knowing the importance Van de Ven presents for the defense, it was important for Tottenham to get another goal and find a way to hold down after. The team did just that in the 24th minute on a short corner routine.
Werner and Kulusevski played a little one-two before Kuluevski left the ball about 25-yard out rolling for Pape Sarr to take a first-time curler outside the frame of the goal and tucked inside the post with Stefan Ortega late to the shot.
Spurs allowed a goal late in the first half extra time with another mis lapse at the back post with Matheus Nunes getting a strike to fire past Vicario for a 2-1 deficit at the half.
In the second half, both sides squandered chances as Werner went for a far post shot that missed the frame, Kulusevski went for a shot instead of squaring up Solanke, and the worst of them all came from a gift on a plate to Richarlison.
Winning the ball off a Man City throw-in that just was errant into the City box, Richarlison had the chance to pick either side of the net and instead fired it right into the sprawled legs of Ortega.
Only holding onto a 2-1 lead the entire second half with that chance and others that could have sealed the win, Man City had one last chance in the final minutes.
Sending a left-sided corner to the back post, Vicario charged off his spot and to the crowd for a punch but was lodge jammed by teammates and left the net open for a free second chance strike by a Man City academy product in Nico O’Reilly. Taking the strike and believing he had the tying goal, Yves Bissouma saved it off the line with a lunging effort before letting a big celebration to keep Spurs on top.
Spurs held on in the end for a 2-1 win and the first win over Man City for Ange Postecoglou. With the win, Spurs enter the quarter finals of the EFL Cup with all remaining sides being Premier League sides.