Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot, as Tottenham beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley to take a slender lead into the return leg of their League Cup semi-final.
Kane scored the only goal of the game after 26 minutes on Wednesday (NZ time), converting his penalty, after a foul by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, once VAR had ruled he was onside.
"I played to the whistle and nicked it round the keeper," Kane said. "It was a clear penalty - VAR is there for a reason and they got it right.
"Chelsea had a point to prove, they didn't play well last time they were here. It was important we won the game going into the second leg."
Kane almost scored a second, but Chelsea dominated the second half, and Andreas Christensen and Ngolo Kante both went close to equalisers.
The visitors also had a number of half-appeals for a penalty of their own, but Tottenham held on for victory on the night.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was grateful to VAR, but admitted he did not like the system itself.
"I don't like the VAR," he said. "Today, we get the benefit of it, but after watching the World Cup and another league like La Liga, I see that nobody is happy from day one that they started to use it.
"To get the benefit is nice, but I am unhappy to win the game like this. I prefer the technology, but in a different way.
"Being clear, I am pro technology because you cannot stop evolution, but we are waiting so long, it is not clear what are the rules."
Manchester City take on Burton Albion in the first leg of the second semi-final on Thursday.
DPA
