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After struggling 1-0 down, Tottenham Hotspur triumphed 5-4 on penalties over rival Chelsea to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Both sets of players had combined for a flawless first nine penalties before Mason Mount’s effort, Chelsea’s fifth, hit the outside of the post. Neither goalkeeper got a hand on any of the 10 attempts, but perhaps Hugo Lloris’s plunge to his right forced Mount to go further than he would have liked.
The sides were even after 90 minutes. Timo Werner scored his first goal for Chelsea to give them an advantage in the 19th minute, which they held until the 83rd when Erik Lamela swooped in to put Tottenham on a level playing field.
The game was always going to present modifications since we are not far from the weekend, where both sides registered unfulfilled draws. And while this competition represents the best trophy opportunity for both sides, there was an air of downside to the match from a Spurs point of view, even if this London Derby has a high-quality recent history with a fair amount of bad. blood. A match where victory leads to something bigger.
Thus, Mourinho was cheerful at the end of the game, dancing through the tunnel while Frank Lampard, with a wrinkled face, consoled his players. Another advantage for Mourinho was the fact that he has come out of the second match of four in the space of eight days without further injury. An absurd schedule that has now at least brought some joy.
Spurs made nine changes to the XI that felt stolen by Sunday’s late penalty against Newcastle United. Harry Kane started on the bench, his sights set on the final Europa League qualifying match against Maccabi Haifa, before Sunday’s return to the Premier League against the top four rivals Manchester United.
Despite the need for first-team bodies, Dele Alli was once again out of the squad for the day. Although it is unclear where he could go, with Paris St Germain as the main suitors, it seems certain that his days in North London are numerous. And when one Spurs run seems to end on a whimper, another began in similar and ignominious fashion.
Newcomer Sergio Reguilón, signed from Real Madrid, was to blame for Chelsea’s first goal: losing possession to César Azpilicueta and then two passes later he sat down for his compatriot, who took his time to find Werner on the edge of the area.
It’s a moment that won’t fill Spurs fans with joy, though most will know that the 23-year-old is much appreciated for his future work rather than his own goal. By contrast, left-back Ben Chillwell, in his first start for Chelsea, enjoyed plenty of space on his flank to show off his attacking threat.
Another new face was in the away goal when Lampard gave Edouard Mendy his debut, and he also gave some good early signals. He got big when Gedson Fernandes came face to face with him – a perfect tackle from Kurt Zouma eliminated that danger.
Then, 10 minutes before the break, a strong right-footed save kept Chelsea’s 1-0 lead at the break. The former Rennes goalkeeper was called into action five minutes into the second period, this time to frustrate his rookie teammate Reguilon, who, perhaps, would have beaten him if he weren’t so desperate to make amends for the earlier mistake. A more controlled finish than the direct hit to Mendy would almost certainly have produced a better result. It indicated a period of dominance for the hosts which, in turn, saw Kane thrown with 20 minutes to go, with the Spurs adjusting to a more recognizable 4-3-3.
Naturally, as they pushed, Chelsea found more joy, and there was a moment in the 77th minute when Eric Dier ran off the field, closely followed by Mourinho, and Callum Hudson-Odoi should have benefited from the man’s lead. But after Dier answered the call of the wild, Lamela answered the Spurs.
This time, Reguillon achieved his redemption, knocking down a cross pass from Toby Alderweireld, moving to his weaker right foot and crossing to the far post. Lamela, on the prowl, reacted faster when the ball fell into his path, shooting Mendy from eight yards with seven minutes of normal time left to play.
With no overtime and no regulation penalties, the Spurs can immediately look to Thursday with confidence. For Mourinho, he is still on his way to a fifth league cup.
It may not be a marquee competition, but he knows better than anyone that it helps cultivate the habit of winning. Judging by his players’ struggle to change this, he may not be far off.
