Late double saves Tottenham against Coventry

AFP

Brennan Johnson scored a stoppage-time winner as Tottenham Hotspur hit two late goals to scramble past second-tier Coventry City 2-1 and reach the last 16 of the League Cup.

Coventry were leading 1-0 at the 87-minute mark and looking much the better side when substitute Djed Spence slid home an equaliser.

Johnson, who had come on after 17 minutes as a replacement for the injured Wilson Odobert, fired past Ben Wilson five minutes later to seal the great escape.

The result came as a big relief to manager Ange Postecoglou, who made headlines before the match with the assertion that he always won a trophy in his second season at a club and had fielded a much-changed line-up.

In the night's other third-round clash, Brighton & Hove Albion beat Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on the south coast.

Until the late goals, Coventry had looked headed for a deserved upset.

Brandon Thomas-Asante swept the hosts ahead in the 63rd minute, with Tottenham back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster looking shaky in his first appearance of the campaign.

Tottenham had gone through the first half with more possession but without a single shot on goal and left regulars Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski on the bench.

Jack Rudoni tested Forster in the opening minute, forcing a save, and had another good opportunity after 38 when Destiny Udogie made a crucial block.

Tottenham defender Ben Davies saved a certain goal from Haji Wright in the second half after a glaring misjudgement by Forster who had raced out to clear and left his goal completely exposed.

Kulusevski came on in the 74th for Timo Werner and provided the through ball for Spence while Son got the nod in the 62nd with Maddison as Postecoglou recognised the need for more creativity.

At Brighton, Carlos Baleba opened his account with the Seagulls on 14 minutes and Simon Adingra shot low for the second goal in the 31st.

Goncalo Guedes pulled one back for the visitors a minute before the break with a deflected side-footed shot before Ferdi Kadioglu made it 3-1 in the 84th on the rebound.

Tommy Doyle then lashed home off the underside of the bar in stoppage time for a nervous finish.

The remaining third-round ties will be played next week, with holders Liverpool at home to Premier League rivals West Ham United on Sept. 25.

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