Tottenham 2-1 West Ham: Spurs move into Carabao Cup semi-finals
Tottenham moved into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup as they edged West Ham in a thrilling quarter-final tie.
The hosts went ahead when Steven Bergwijn linked up with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and fired home his first goal of the season after 29 minutes.
But Tottenham's lead only lasted three minutes before Eric Dier's poor clearance led to Nikola Vlasic having a shot and the ball falling to Jarrod Bowen, who finished neatly after producing a superb turn to create space.
However, Spurs retook the lead - and ultimately grabbed the winner - just two minutes later with Lucas Moura netting from Bergwijn's pull-back.
West Ham so nearly forced penalties, but substitute Andriy Yarmolenko's looping effort hit the crossbar in the third minute of injury time.
Tottenham will play Chelsea in the two-legged semi-finals in January, after Thomas Tuchel's side won 2-0 at Brentford in their quarter-final encounter.
Spurs keep alive hopes of ending trophy droughtTottenham are aiming to win their first trophy since lifting the League Cup in the 2007-08 campaign - and Antonio Conte's side had to battle hard to overcome a West Ham team, two places above them in fifth spot in the Premier League table.
Spurs had three games postponed earlier this month because of Covid-19, including their final Europa League Conference League game, which saw Rennes awarded an automatic 3-0 victory. It was a result that denied Tottenham a chance to advance into the next phase.
But, since returning to action, they have drawn 2-2 with Liverpool and now beaten the Hammers. Both named strong sides, although the visitors were without top goalscorer Michail Antonio because of a positive coronavirus test result.
Harry Kane nearly opened the scoring, but had an angled effort parried by away goalkeeper Alphonse Areola before a frantic spell of three goals in five minutes.
Bergwijn put the hosts ahead, but West Ham's response was instant with Tomas Soucek twice having headers saved by Hugo Lloris and Craig Dawson also heading over before Bowen's equaliser.
But Hammers boss David Moyes would have been furious the scores were only level for two minutes before Dutchman Bergwijn added an assist to his earlier goal, linking up well with Moura and the Brazilian's calm finish put the hosts back in front.
West Ham had beaten Manchester United and last season's Carabao Cup winners Manchester City in previous rounds and pushed for an equaliser that would have taken the game to a penalty shootout.
Substitute Said Benrahma shot over on the turn from inside the penalty area, had another effort saved by Lloris and, after a fine piece to skill to flick up the ball, volleyed wide. Yarmolenko caused another late scare for Tottenham, but they held on for the victory.
Spurs reached the final of this competition last season, losing 1-0 to Manchester City at Wembley, and are now only two rounds away from the chance of claiming long-awaited silverware.
Player of the match
Lucas MouraLucas Moura
- Squad number27Player nameLucas MouraAverage rating
6.81
- Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number23Player nameBergwijnAverage rating
6.63
- Squad number29Player nameSkippAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-MinAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number8Player nameWinksAverage rating
6.12
- Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
6.08
- Squad number3Player nameReguilónAverage rating
6.05
- Squad number6Player nameD SánchezAverage rating
5.97
- Squad number2Player nameDohertyAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating
5.80
- Squad number20Player nameAlliAverage rating
5.79
- Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating
5.75
- Squad number25Player nameTangangaAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
5.28
Squad number41Player nameRice
Average rating6.62
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Average rating6.55
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Average rating6.22
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Average rating5.94
Squad number15Player nameDawson
Average rating5.81
Squad number50Player nameAshby
Average rating5.75
Squad number10Player nameLanzini
Average rating5.74
Squad number13Player nameAreola
Average rating5.71
Squad number8Player nameFornals
Average rating5.66
Squad number31Player nameJohnson
Average rating5.66
Squad number11Player nameVlasic
Average rating5.65
Squad number23Player nameDiop
Average rating5.48
Squad number26Player nameMasuaku
Average rating5.29
Squad number7Player nameYarmolenko
Average rating5.11
Formation 3-4-2-1
1Lloris
6D Sánchez15Dier33Davies
2Doherty5Højbjerg29Skipp3Reguilón
27Lucas Moura23Bergwijn
10Kane
- 1Lloris
- 6D Sánchez
- 15Dier
- 33Davies
- 2DohertySubstituted forTangangaat 83'minutes
- 5Højbjerg
- 29SkippSubstituted forAlliat 77'minutes
- 3ReguilónSubstituted forLeite de Souza Juniorat 83'minutes
- 27Lucas MouraSubstituted forWinksat 61'minutes
- 23BergwijnSubstituted forSon Heung-Minat 61'minutes
- 10Kane
- 7Son Heung-Min
- 8Winks
- 12Leite de Souza Junior
- 14Rodon
- 18Lo Celso
- 20Alli
- 22Gollini
- 25Tanganga
- 28Ndombele
Formation 3-4-2-1
13Areola
31Johnson15Dawson23Diop
50Ashby28Soucek41Rice26Masuaku
11Vlasic10Lanzini
20Bowen
- 13Areola
- 31Johnson
- 15Dawson
- 23Diop
- 50AshbySubstituted forYarmolenkoat 80'minutes
- 28Soucek
- 41Rice
- 26Masuaku
- 11VlasicSubstituted forBenrahmaat 68'minutes
- 10LanziniSubstituted forFornalsat 68'minutes
- 20BowenBooked at 37mins
- 7Yarmolenko
- 8Fornals
- 16Noble
- 22Benrahma
- 24Fredericks
- 33Král
- 35Randolph
- 42Alese
- 75Baptiste
Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, West Ham United 1.