Nottingham Forest produced an impressive performance to knock Tottenham out of the EFL Cup with a 2-0 win on Wednesday, even after finishing the game with 10 men.
Second-half strikes from Renan Lodi and Jesse Lingard gave the Premier League s bottom side victory, though nerves were heightened when Orel Mangala was sent off with 15 minutes remaining.
Spurs have made a habit of dramatic comebacks of late, and Antonio Conte named a strong side at the City Ground, including Harry Kane and only making four changes from the team defeated by Liverpool on Sunday.
But they could not rescue a result this time and have now lost consecutive matches ahead of meeting Leeds United in their final fixture before the World Cup.
A quiet first half saw Spurs debutant Fraser Forster called into action to deny Lingard on the rebound after a deflected clearance had struck the post, while at the other end Wayne Hennessey parried away a fierce effort from Matt Doherty.
Lingard stung the palms of Forster again with a shot from the edge of the box early in the second half, and just moments later the former Manchester United man found Lodi on the left, with the Brazil international cutting inside onto his right foot and bending an effort into the far corner.
It was 2-0 in the 57th minute when Forest struck on the counter down the right, with former Spurs man Serge Aurier putting in a cross for Sam Surridge to head back across goal, allowing Lingard to nod in his first goal for the club.
Kane made way on the hour for the returning Richarlison, but it made little difference as Forest claimed only their second victory in their last 12 games despite Mangala receiving a second yellow card for a foul on the Brazil World Cup star, who had a goal ruled out late on for offside.
The Reds progress into the fourth round!
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC)
What does it mean? No second-half surge for Spurs
Conte s men have followed a similar formula in recent games, going behind in the first half before putting up a fight in the second, sometimes to rescue something.
That did not happen here, and perhaps Tottenham will have taken heart from going in goalless at the break, having been behind after 45 minutes in each of their previous five games.
However, Spurs were second-best after that, overwhelmed by Forest until Mangala s red caused the hosts to retreat, but even then a comeback never looked likely.
Forest bulldoze their opponents
It has not been a return to the Premier League to remember just yet for Forest, aside from their recent win against Liverpool.
This performance was much more along those lines, though, having 14 shots with eight on target, with Forster the only reason they did not have the game entirely sewn up by the 70th minute.
Insipid Spurs bow out
Perhaps it was a result of the energy exerted in their impressive, albeit fruitless, second-half performance against Liverpool on Sunday, but Spurs looked listless at the City Ground.
Despite having a near full-strength team out and an extra man for the final 15 minutes, Spurs could only muster two shots on target, and only won 41 per cent of their duels in the second half.
What s next?
In their final Premier League games before the break for the World Cup, Forest host Crystal Palace while Tottenham are at home to Leeds United, both on Saturday.
