IT’S SO VAR

Kane penalty gives Spurs a slender advantage but Chelsea show they are ready to hit back

IT took a VAR decision to separate them but the tie is still far from over.

Harry Kane was the beneficiary of the video assistant referee at Wembley in a brilliant Carabao Cup semi-final which also showed English football desperately needs the technology to be introduced for all matches.

It also went a long way to proving this trophy still means something, no matter how much both managers last night try to insist finishing in the top four is more important than silverware.

Mauricio Pochettino escaped with a narrow lead to take into the second leg at Stamford Bridge.

But Spurs lived dangerously at times as Chelsea gave everything in a full-bloodied derby and cracking cup tie.

Maurizio Sarri saw his team hit the woodwork twice and if only they had a centreforward worthy of the name then they would surely have got something from the game.

But that is the difference between the sides, with Tottenham looking further down the line under Pochettino than Chelsea are under Sarri – and that could be the story of their seasons.

The story is generally about Harry Kane, whether he scores, is involved in controversy or is the main talking point of the game.

This time it was all three when he won a penalty awarded by the video referee and stepped up to convert from the spot for his

160th goal in a Tottenham shirt, putting him in fourth place in the club’s all-time scorers list behind

Bobby Smith,

Martin Chivers and Jimmy Greaves

(circle).

Toby Alderweireld’s long clearance over the top after 26 minutes sent Kane racing clear, and the linesman’s flag went up before the Spurs striker was upended by keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Referee Michael Oliver referred the decision to VAR. The wait for a ruling was painful and far too long, but when it came it was the right one, replays showing Kane was onside and that it was a penalty.

Kane took responsibility from the spot, smashing the ball into the bottom corner to give Arrizabalaga no chance and draw first blood in the two-leg semi-final. Kane will undoubtedly go down as a Tottenham legend and is the sort of world-class centre-forward which Chelsea are crying out for.

Alvaro Morata was missing with a slight hamstring injury – a convenient sounding sick note ahead of a possible move to Sevilla – while Olivier Giroud was on the bench, to leave Eden Hazard playing as a false nine. That meant Chelsea looked a bit lightweight in attack despite the promptings of teenager Callum Hudson-odoi, who showed why Bayern Munich are maintaining their interested in him.

Chelsea got better as the game wore on, with N’golo Kante’s close-range shot hitting a post and Hudson-odoi’s deflected cross-shot being clawed onto the woodwork by stand-in Spurs keeper Paulo Gazzaniga in first-half stoppage time.

Chelsea were suddenly the better team after the restart, pinning Tottenham back and prompting Mauricio Pochettino to throwing his arms up in frustration as his team struggled.

Chelsea threw on Giroud for Hudson-odoi in the closing stages and the former Arsenal striker was greeted with boos from the Spurs fans at Wembley.

But still Chelsea could not find a way through.

Old London rivalries die hard and there will be a lot more mileage in this semifinal when they reconvene at Stamford Bridge in a fortnight.

been right to raise his flag. It leaves Spurs in control ahead of the second leg, which is on January 24.Mauricio Pochettino’s men, who host Manchester United on Sunday, also remain on course for their first trophy since they lifted the League Cup back in 2008. Tottenham have now won 15 of their 18 games, stretching back to the end of October.Chelsea started the match with no striker and Eden Hazard (right) played in the centre-forward position.Alvaro Morata, criticised for his lack of goals, was missing with a minor hamstring injury. The Blues’ best chances came in the 39th minute when N’golo Kante flicked an effort against the post.And, in first-half stoppage time, teenager Callum Hudsonodoi, who started the match, also saw his deflected effort pushed on to a post.