Ange Postecoglou trusted to the exuberance and talent of youth to release the pressure on his position as Tottenham manager - and was rewarded with one of the most crucial wins of his reign.
Postecoglou has been feeling the strain of poor results in recent weeks, but the smiles were back on the players' faces as Spurs secured a 1-0 advantage over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
As well as the win that keeps Postecoglou on course to keep his promise that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club, he was also able to tell three good news stories that vindicate his transfer strategy - often criticised - of acquiring promising young talents to build a bright future.
Step forward 18-year-old Swedish match-winner Lucas Bergvall, 21-year-old debutant keeper Antonin Kinsky - barely through the door having signed from Slavia Prague in a £12.5m deal on Monday - and another teenager in Archie Grey.
Bergvall's decisive contribution will be shrouded in controversy because Liverpool, with justification, will believe he should not have been on the pitch after referee Stuart Attwell allowed play to continue after a wild challenge on Kostas Tsimikas that could have brought a second yellow card moments before his 86th minute winner.
He will be the headline act, but he must share that spotlight with Kinsky and Gray, who showed remarkable maturity in such high pressure situations against high quality opposition.
Postecoglou was without 10 players through injury and illness, a number that quickly increased to 11 when Rodrigo Bentancur was taken off on a stretcher following 10 minutes of treatment after going down with a head injury at a corner.
Happily, he was later reported to be conscious and talking to provide more good news for Postecoglou and Spurs.
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