Tottenham Hotspur flirted with knocking down the English League Cup for the second year in a row, but two goals, in the 88th and 92nd minutes, turned the match against Coventry City around (1-2) and qualified the ‘Spurs’ for the round of 16.
Ange Postecoglou, who boasted this week that he always wins titles in his second season, was very close to missing out on the League Cup for fielding a line-up with too many substitutes.
Spurs were completely outclassed by Coventry, who deserved better luck than to go down in the cruel and dramatic manner in which they did, and, had they been a little more accurate in front of goal, they could have pulled off the big surprise of this round of 32.
The Championship side deserved to have a goal in the half-time lead, but inexplicably failed to do so when Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster went on a rampage and let Haji Wright face the goal alone. His effort was saved in an emergency by Ben Davies.
It was a first warning for Tottenham, who, far from waking up, conceded the 1-0 in the 63rd minute, when Thomas-Asante finished off Bassette’s cross without opposition. Djed Spence, the man who was supposed to cover him, was calling for offside.
Although Coventry had a few chances to kill off the tie, it was Spence who redeemed himself by taking advantage of a great pass from Dejan Kulusevski to finish as if he were a striker.
The goal changed the game and Tottenham went all out to finish the game before penalties. With Coventry in disarray, Rodrigo Bentancur found Brennan Johnson between the lines and the Welshman chipped the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 1-2 and Spurs through.
Brigham & Hove Albion also qualified for the next round after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2. EFE
