Spurs Outlast United to Reach EFL Cup Semi-Finals

Tottenham just squeaked by Manchester United in a thrilling 4-3 match to grab the last EFL Cup semi-final spot!

December 19, 2024
11:12 pm

Tottenham Hotspur snagged the last EFL Cup semi-final spot in a thrilling 4-3 win over Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The second half was a wild ride, featuring Dominic Solanke’s two goals and some late goalkeeping blunders, as Spurs fended off a fierce comeback from the Red Devils.

The match kicked off with both teams playing it safe, and neither managed a shot on target in the first 10 minutes. The breakthrough came in the 15th minute when Spurs took advantage of a defensive slip. Pedro Porro fired a powerful shot from distance, and Altay Bayındır’s weak save fell right to Solanke, who coolly converted on the half-volley.

The first half was pretty even, with both sides having limited chances. Former Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen shone for United, coming close twice. Just before halftime, Diego Dalot set up Eriksen, but Yves Bissouma blocked his goal-bound shot. On the flip side, Dejan Kulusevski created Tottenham’s best chance with a dazzling run past Bruno Fernandes, only for Bayındır to deny his angled shot.

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The second half started off rough for Manchester United. Just minutes in, Lisandro Martínez’s poor clearance from James Maddison’s cross fell to Kulusevski, who slotted it home to double Spurs’ lead. Ruben Amorim, clearly frustrated, was ready to make a triple substitution, but before that could happen, Spurs struck again. Solanke connected with a lofted ball from Djed Spence and confidently fired it past Bayındır to make it 3-0, seemingly sealing the deal.

But then, things took a turn as Spurs’ goalkeeper Fraser Forster had a rough patch. First, his misplaced pass let Fernandes set up Joshua Zirkzee for an easy tap-in. Seven minutes later, Forster hesitated under pressure from Amad Diallo, and his attempted clearance bounced off the Ivorian into the net, cutting Spurs’ lead to 3-2.

With United pushing hard for an equalizer, Son Heung-min looked to have sealed the win for Tottenham. His inswinging corner fooled Bayındır and went straight into the net, restoring Spurs’ two-goal cushion at 4-2. But the drama wasn’t over yet, as Jonny Evans headed in a late corner to make it 4-3. Despite the intense pressure in stoppage time, Spurs held on to secure their spot in the semi-finals.

Tottenham will now shift their focus to the upcoming EFL Cup semi-finals, while Manchester United will be left regretting their missed chances and defensive slip-ups.