Attwell had to decide, after VAR intervention, whether or not to validate Solanke’s goal, the one that would have given the hosts Tottenham the advantage in the Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool. Spurs win 1-0
The story in the 79th minute. The Tottenham Stadium impatiently waits for VAR to validate Dominik Solanke’s goal or not, the one that could give the home team the advantage in the Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool. Silence falls in the stadium when first a noise comes out of the loudspeaker and then the voice of referee Stuart Attwell: “After the review, Dominik Solanke is considered to be in an offside position and the goal is therefore not validated” proclaims the referee, the final part of his words covered by the roar of happiness from the Liverpool fans and the disappointment from those of Tottenham. The fact that he spoke is a historic first for English football: never before have the fans in the stadium heard the referee’s voice to explain a decision taken by VAR, as foreseen by this experiment limited for now to the semi-finals of Carabao Cup and which had its first act in this Tottenham-Liverpool match. Attwell had nothing to say a few minutes later, in the 86th minute, when Lucas Bergvall scored the 1-0 which gave Spurs the victory and brought them closer to the final (the second leg semi-final is on 6 February at Anfield ) and cost Liverpool their first defeat since 14 September.
the keys
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The match opened with concern for Rodrigo Bentancur, who ended up in hospital for checks after being left on the ground after attempting a header to hit a corner kick. His neck makes an unnatural movement as he tries, then Bentancur remains on the ground and is helped on the pitch for almost 10 minutes before being carried off on a stretcher, raising his thumb to signal to his coach and the fans that he is fine. He was taken to hospital conscious and able to speak, but was never unconscious. Tottenham deserved to dedicate this victory to him: they scored with Bergvall, the best on the pitch, an 18-year-old talent who needed it, he was courageous despite the injuries, despite the fact that in front of him he had what has so far been the best team in the league. ‘Europe. He attacked, he tried, he created chances also taking advantage of the fact that Liverpool were far from their best version, the one that won 6-3 in this same stadium on 22 December. That was the first of 4 games without a win for Tottenham, a series closed by doing what only Nottingham Forest had managed this year in Europe: beating Liverpool. The Reds started badly, grew around Salah at the start of the second half but then dropped again. And Tottenham took advantage of it.
the match
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Bentancur’s treatment for his injury in the 6th minute effectively delayed the start of the match. Tottenham was better overall, more lively especially at the start, but the 0-0 from which the second half restarted was the fairer result. Liverpool are more enterprising after the three substitutions per hour of play, but Tottenham grows again. Solanke’s goal which the VAR canceled with the historic first time of the speaking referee was deserved. As is Bergvall’s, which puts Spurs closer to the final dream.
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At the end of the match both Arne Slot and Ange Postecoglou commented on the first time of speaking referees. “It’s difficult to judge something from just one match – said the Liverpool manager -. The offside doesn’t even need explanations: there are the lines. It would have been more interesting for everyone, for example, if he had explained why he didn’t give Bergvall the second yellow before the goal. But I know that the rule is different.” The Tottenham coach, who has always been against the use of VAR, was much more talkative: “Did that announcement really do anything? I think that since VAR has been in place, football has changed faster than in the previous 50 years – attacks Postecoglou -. I understand that technology will be part of football because I keep hearing that that’s what people want. Technology is also part of children’s lives, but we limit their time in front of the screen so as not to overdo it. I think we should be more cautious in thinking about changes in football, we should be more protective of its sanctity. And I think right now technology is just bringing so much confusion.”
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