Tottenham beats Liverpool 1-0 in English cup semis after a serious injury and in-stadium ref call

Lucas Bergvall’s first goal for Tottenham secured a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the English League Cup semifinals on Wednesday in a first-leg match notable for a serious-looking injury to Rodrigo Bentancur and the first in-stadium announcement by a referee in the English game.

The 18-year-old Bergvall slotted home the winner in the 86th minute following a pass from Dominic Solanke, who thought 10 minutes earlier that he had given Tottenham the lead. That goal was ruled out after a VAR check for offside and referee Stuart Attwell communicated the decision via a wireless microphone to spectators inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and to TV viewers.

In the sixth minute, Bentancur — the Uruguay midfielder who plays for Tottenham — fell to the ground and lay prone after landing awkwardly when attempting a header from a corner. He was carried off on a stretcher, to applause from around the ground, after receiving treatment during a 10-minute delay and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed after the game that Bentancur was “conscious” and talking.

The second leg is at Anfield on Feb. 6.

Newcastle leads Arsenal 2-0 after the first leg of the other semifinal match.

Liverpool, the defending League Cup champion, saw its 24-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end and there was a hint of controversy about only the team's second loss of the season.

Visiting players and manager Arne Slot were unhappy that Bergvall was on the field to score what proved to be the winning goal after he escaped collecting a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas moments earlier. Indeed, Tsimikas was off the field, waiting to come back on having received treatment following Bergvall's tackle, when the Sweden midfielder tucked home his finish.

Slot earned a yellow card himself for his protests, though he shook Attwell's hand after the final whistle.

“The decision he made had a lot of impact on the result tonight,” Slot said.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said it was “quite obvious” that Bergvall deserved a second yellow card.

“And a minute later he scores the winner,” Van Dijk said. “He (Attwell) made a mistake, in my opinion. And I told him that.”

It was a busy end to the match for Attwell, who took center stage after there was a video review following Solanke's strike in the 76th minute. After being notified that Solanke was offside, Attwell used the public address system to declare the goal had been ruled out, in an NFL-style announcement.

The League Cup semifinals were chosen to pilot a process in England that has been widely used in other sports, and in soccer at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and other FIFA events.

Three days after signing from Sparta Prague, Antonín Kinský — a 21-year-old goalkeeper from the Czech Republic — was handed his debut by Tottenham and he kept a clean sheet after producing a string of great saves, notably from Liverpool substitute Darwin Nunez.

His parents and sister were in the crowd to watch him play his first match in English soccer and he was emotional after the game.

“I have never dreamed this," Kinský said.

Tottenham signed the highly rated Kinský with first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario currently out injured.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall, right, shakes hands with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk at the end of the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot greets fans at the end of the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Pedro Porro, left, duels for the ball with Liverpool's Luis Diaz during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Medics carry Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur from the pitch after sustaining an injury during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur receives medical treatment during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall, right scores the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Here is Thursday’s schedule for the final day of rites honoring Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, who died Dec. 29. All times are Eastern:

9 a.m. — Carter's casket departs the U.S. Capitol. The funeral motorcade travels to Washington National Cathedral.

9:30 a.m. — Carter’s motorcade arrives at Washington National Cathedral.

10 a.m. — The Washington funeral begins. Expected speakers include Steve Ford, reading remarks written by his father, former President Gerald Ford, before his death; Ted Mondale, reading remarks from his father, former Vice President Walter Mondale, before his death; former Carter adviser Stu Eizenstat; Jason Carter, one of Jimmy Carter's grandsons; and President Joe Biden.

11:15 a.m. — Carter’s remains and his family depart the cathedral for Joint Base Andrews.

11:45 a.m. — They board Special Air Mission 39, the plane that serves as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board.

2 p.m. — Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Moore, Georgia. Carter’s remains will be transferred with ceremony to the hearse. Carter and his family then travel to Plains by motorcade.

3:30 p.m. — Motorcade arrives at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.

3:45 p.m. — An invitation-only funeral at the church begins.

4:45 p.m. — A motorcade takes participants from the church to the Carter residence.

5:20 p.m. — A U.S. Navy missing man formation conducts a flyover in honor of Carter’s naval service and time as commander in chief, followed by a private graveside ceremony and interment.

The story has been updated to correct that Carter’s grandson, not son, will speak at his Washington funeral.

A joint services body bearer team carries the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, to head to Washington National Cathedral for a State Funeral. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)

President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump pause at the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via AP)