Czech goalkeeper Antonin Kinský made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool yesterday, and the 21-year-old enjoyed a phenomenal performance, especially given the pressure to feature against one of the Premier League’s most feared sides in the ongoing campaign.
Kinský had only made 30 appearances for Slavia Prague before taking up the duty with gloves against the Merseysiders, but he proved himself on such a high level with that performance at White Hart Lane.
Kinský, thrown into the far end…
Ange Postecoglou threw the Spurs new signing straight into the deep end of the action, and Kinský came out with flying colours, showing maturity beyond his years. He looked calm under pressure and showed impressive ball-handling skills, especially in a Lilywhites side that likes to play out from the back, attract press, and then create a transition-like situation on the other end.
Despite some nervous moments, including a couple of near-errors with his hands, Kinský made crucial saves, particularly against Darwin Núñez late in the game, and former Lilywhites star Jamie Redknapp was talking about the young goalkeeper after the fixture with Sky Sports, describing the former Celtic manager’s decision to start him as a gamble that paid off. He said:
“Really good. Big decision to throw him in. He looked calm, confident. Good with his feet, made a couple of good saves, the one from Nunez at the end. He looks like he’s certainly going to be a good goalkeeper for the future.”
Beyond his on-pitch antics, Kinský’s debut carried emotional significance, and you could see how much it meant to him and his family at full-time when the 21-year-old shared a touching moment with his family in the crowd.
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And with the busy games coming for Tottenham, with an FA Cup clash against Tamworth following the North London Derby, Postecoglou would have to weigh whether to give Kinský more playing time or reward Brandon Austin with another opportunity, but the debut performance from him has marked a high benchmark, showing he is ready to face the challenges at N17.
