SPURS EDGE IT
Kane stays cool to sink spot-kick VAR award MATT BARLOW
Tottenham might be cooling on the whole Wembley experience, but the chance of a return in a cup final ought to rekindle the glow.
there is still work to do in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are not out of this by any stretch of the imagination. It is within their powers of recovery to turn it around when the London rivals meet again in a fortnight in a competition where away goals do not count double in the event of a draw.
It is advantage Spurs, however, thanks to a penalty scored by harry Kane and awarded with the help of the video assistant referee.
this time there was no malfunction with the technology as officials reached the decision in a couple of minutes and Kane stepped forward to score in a sixth successive appearance.
But Chelsea boss maurizio Sarri was less than pleased, hitting out at officials as he said: ‘It was offside. I don’t think english referees are able to use the system. a few minutes ago I watched the video from our camera. offside. offside with his head, the knee.’
Initial tV replays appeared to show that Kane was onside as he raced on to toby alderweireld’s pass. But alternative camera angles suggest he could have been offside before the collision with the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Despite leaving Wembley victorious, tottenham manager mauricio Pochettino also admitted he is not convinced by VaR.
‘I don’t like the VaR,’ he said. ‘to get the benefit is nice but I am unhappy to win the game like this.’
Spurs were forced to work hard to defend their lead, with the visitors twice striking the frame of the goal in the closing stages of the first half and enjoying long spells in control after the break.
Callum hudson-odoi’s dazzling second-half display against nottingham Forest in the Fa Cup was enough to earn him another start on a day when Bayern munich increased their offer to £35million.
alvaro morata, scorer of both goals against Forest, was absent with a slight hamstring strain and eden hazard was back in the centre-forward role he doesn’t always enjoy, with Willian wide on the left, from where he picked out hudson-odoi with a wonderful diagonal pass early in the game. the teenager shimmied into the area and fizzed a low shot at Paulo Gazzaniga.
Chelsea had already survived scares of their own at the back. Son heung-min almost wriggled clear of andreas Christensen before tumbling and claiming a foul which was not given by referee michael oliver.
Kane then tried an overhead kick from a Kieran trippier cross which was comfortably saved by Kepa arrizabalaga.
there was nothing complicated about the move leading to the goal. alderweireld launched a long ball from central defence into the inside left channel and Kane was first on to it. he nudged it past arrizabalaga, who had careered from his goal and his momentum sent the Spurs striker cartwheeling.
oliver called for assistance from the VaR. Replays showed the foul was clear but the offside call was tight. the home fans held their breath until the referee received the information he needed, pointed to the spot and showed a yellow card to the goalkeeper.
Kane whipped the penalty kick low into the corner of the net. It was his 160th tottenham goal and took him into fourth place in the club’s all-time top scorers list.
Chelsea responded. First n’Golo Kante made a run and turned a cross from marcos alonso against the foot of a post. then a cross from hudson-odoi clipped Danny Rose and swerved high over Gazzaniga, who twisted in the air to produce a great save, turning the ball against the same post with his fingertips.
the rebound spun in front of goal and alderweireld hoisted it clear. Spurs reached half-time with their lead intact and returned with purpose. Kane tested arrizabalaga with a fierce drive before, at the other end, Chelsea began to dominate.
Gazzaniga made saves to frustrate both hazard and Kante and Christensen was unable to convert at the back post from a corner flicked on by Ross Barkley.
there was then a Chelsea appeal for a penalty for handball when hazard flicked the ball against alderweireld’s arm, but it was not given by oliver — or his video assistant.