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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Harry Latham-Coyle

Tottenham take lead in Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea thanks to Harry Kane goal

Tottenham Hotspur gained a slender advantage in their League Cup semi-final against London rivals Chelsea as Harry Kane's penalty earned them a 1-0 win in the first leg at Wembley on Tuesday.

Kane's 26th-minute spot kick, his 160th goal for the club, means Mauricio Pochettino's side will be slight favourites to reach the final although there is plenty of work still to do.

The only goal of the evening arrived in unusual circumstances with referee Michael Oliver eventually awarding a penalty with the help of VAR after Spurs skipper Kane was adjudged to have been marginally onside before being taken out by Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Relive all of the drama below.


Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea in the Carabao Cup!
Good evening everyone.
 
Two of the best sides in the country prepare to meet under the lights at Wembley, managed by two trophy-less coaches with the opportunity to earn the chance to compete for one over 180 minutes of midweek football.
 
It's the first leg of the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, it's Tottenham and Chelsea, and team news is about five minutes away...
 
TEAM NEWS
 
After a much-changed side aside Tranmere in the FA Cup on Friday night, Mauricio Pochettino's big guns return to the starting starting lineup. Harry Kane captains in lieu of Hugo Lloris, with Paulo Gazzaniga retaining his Carabao Cup place in goal.
TEAM NEWS
 
A start for Callum Hudson-Odoi is the headline news from the Chelsea lineup with rumours swirling around the young winger's future. Willian returns in a front-three again striker-less.
Tottenham may have the psychological edge for this one. They have one their last two games against Chelsea, including a superb 3-1 victory earlier in the season. Mauricio Pochettino got his tactics spot on in that game, using Dele Alli to perturb Joringho and disrupt Chelsea's conduit and possession play. 
 
Inevitably, talk ahead of the game has turned to the bare cabinet at White Hart Lane in Pochettino's tenure, with his opposite number stirring the pot a little ahead of tonight's game. As he prepares to face someone similarly empty-handed managerially, Miguel Delaney on Pochettino and why this cup run really matters:
 
Chelsea have already brought in Christian Pulisic this window, and there is increasing chatter that at least one of Leandro Paredes (Zenit St. Petersburg) and Nicolo Barella (Cagliari) will be joining the club with Maurizio Sarri looking to bolster his side's midfield depth after Cesc Fabregas' departure.
 
But it is on the future of Hudson-Odoi, just 18, that most tongues are wagging. The teenager has caught the eye of Bayern Munich and, with English youngsters very much en vogue in the Bundesliga and the player disillusioned in London, the Bavarians have upped their offer...
 
Wandsworth-born, Hudson-Odoi is another to emerge from the talent factory south of the river in England's capital.
 
In an excellent piece now unlocked for all (after an initial exclusive release via the excellent and highly-recommended Independent Minds membership scheme), Jack Pitt-Brooke explores the proliferation of products from south London making their impact across the footballing spectrum, particularly those from Southwark and Lewisham, playing with flair, freedom and joy.
 
Spurs have had something of an injury crisis in midfield over the Christmas period. Eric Dier's appendicitis compounded the issues caused by Victor Wanyama's seemingly perpetual state of injury during the first half of the season. With Mousa Dembele's workload heavily managed and the Belgian more latterly also sidelined through injury, the load has fallen upon Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko, who have both responded superbly.
 
While there may yet be incomings to Tottenham in that midfield area, it is an outgoing that has been all but confirmed today. Dembele's contract expires in the summer, and Daniel Levy has cashed in to  avoid potentially losing him on a free, with a £9-11 million move to Chinese side Beijing Sinobo Guoan likely to be completed in the next few days.
 
Farewell, then, to one of the Premier League's most uniquely-gifted players.
 
It may be worth keeping an eye on both sets of supporters this evening. Fans from both clubs have been in the news in recent times, with the debate over the use of a certain term from the Spurs fans particularly strong in the early part of this week, while Chelsea fans have been involved in a number of distasteful incidents in the last month-or-so.
 
It is, of course, a London derby in addition to a cup semi-final, and thus tensions will be high on and off the pitch. Both Eden Hazard and Maurizio Sarri have moved to urge Chelsea fans to set an example this evening.
 
Ten minutes until kick-off under the lights at Wembley.
 
Speaking ahead of the game, Mauricio Pochettino has spoken of his desire to stay at Spurs for 20 years, and emulate Arsene Wenger in the process:
 
A huge night for a player with huge potential. With so much potentially going on behind-the-scenes, how will Callum Hudson-Odoi go on the pitch this evening?
 
KICK OFF
Kick-off at Wembley.
1 minute
 
Danny Rose shows energy in the opening forays, first a lovely skip inside a Chelsea player to work a bit of space and then rather chopping down Cesar Azpilicueta chasing up to the corner flag.
2 minutes
 
Chelsea now get some quick interplay going, though lose the ball and a misplaced Paulo Gazzaniga pass will give the visitors a throw.
 
Callum Hudson-Odoi has begun on the right where he impressed in the FA Cup. Willian on the left.
3 minutes
 
A clipped long ball from Dele Alli is beautifully placed by Heung-Min Son can't quite latch on to it, tangling with Andreas Christensen. Son appeals, but there is no clear foul there.
4 minutes
 
Acrobatic!
 
Heung-Min Son again finds space to charge into down the right, and when the ball is worked back out to Kieran Trippier, the right-back crosses.
 
It is behind Harry Kane, who opts for the overhead kick attempt. He connects with it well, but not well enough to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga, who collects moving to his right.
6 minutes
 
Callum Hudson-Odoi picks the ball up in space down the right for the first time and faces up to Danny Rose.
 
Hudson-Odoi shoots when Rose offers him the opportunity to do so, but his low effort is rather tame and easily saved by Paulo Gazzaniga. 
8 minutes
 
Danny Rose has begun with real forward thrust from left-back, though Hudson-Odoi is tracking him well so far.
 
Both teams will be pleased with their starts. Plenty of competent possession football already.

Match preview

What time is it?

The match kicks-off at 8pm.

Where can I watch it?

Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event have live coverage of the first leg. You can follow text commentary of the match above.

Watch Tottenham vs Chelsea through NOW TV with a Sky Sports pass from £7.99.

Key fact

Spurs and Chelsea are set to meet in a League Cup semi-final for the third time, having also done so in 1971-72 and 2001-02 - the only fixture to be played more often at this stage is Arsenal against Spurs (four occasions).

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