It’s still very much game on. That’s the message from Tottenham defender Nick Tsaroulla ahead of their FA Youth Cup semi-final second leg with Chelsea this Saturday.
Spurs travel to Stamford Bridge looking to overturn a one-goal deficit following a 2-1 loss at White Hart Lane on Tuesday.
Two goals in six first-half minutes put the Blues firmly in control before Spurs stopper Brandon Austin made a string of superlative saves to prevent further damage.
The hosts then snatched a late lifeline through the prolific Kazaiah Sterling and Chelsea’s Luke McCormick saw an injury-time penalty strike the post as the north Londoners used all of their nine lives.
But they are still within striking distance of the team who have won four of the last five FA Youth Cups and Tsaroulla insists the belief is still flowing.
“It was very disappointing to go down two goals but I thought we showed fight as a team and we got the goal late on so we’re still in the tie and it’s all up for grabs,” said the left-back.
“The game is not over yet, that’s what we all believe and that’s what was said in the changing room afterwards.
“We could have got beaten by more but we didn’t, we stayed together, we kept fighting and held them off. We’re still in the tie.”
Sheer grit was required by Spurs, but Tsaroulla knows they will have to produce an improved display to knock out the holders this weekend.
“On Saturday we need to get the front three going a bit more,” added Tsaroulla.
“I don’t think we fed them enough, so that’s something we’ll look to do more of.
“If we start the game how we finished the first leg, I think we have a good chance.”
FA Youth Cup history
Chelsea have lifted the trophy in each of the last three seasons, in four of the last five and in five of the last seven.
Tottenham are three-time FA Youth Cup winners, but the most recent of those came back in 1990, while the last time they reached the final was in 1995.
Did you know?
Spurs held a 2-0 lead over Chelsea following the first leg of the 2014-15 FA Youth Cup semi-final, as Sterling and current first-teamer Josh Onomah found the net.
They made it 3-0 on aggregate when Shayon Harrison netted 30 minutes into the second leg at Stamford Bridge but the Blues fought back in style to win that game 5-2 and the tie 5-4 overall.
One to watch
Tottenham goalkeeper Brandon Austin deserves all the praise he is getting after a magnificent display in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
Austin spectacularly denied Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ike Ugbo and Reece James during an eight-minute spell early in the second half before repelling James one-on-one and getting fingertips to George McEachran’s goal-bound shot later in the half.
The prize
A place in the FA Youth Cup Final awaits the aggregate winners following Saturday’s second leg, where either Manchester City or Stoke City will be the opponents. The Citizens lead that tie 6-0 after the first leg.
