Mauricio Pochettino hailed Tottenham's growing maturity as Harry Kane fired them a step closer to the League Cup final with a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the semi-final first leg on Tuesday.
Pochettino's side are chasing their first trophy since winning the 2008 League Cup at the expense of Chelsea.
Kane's first-half spot-kick, awarded via VAR, settled a hard-fought encounter to keep Tottenham on course for a first League Cup final appearance since their 2015 defeat against the Blues.
That loss was one of several missed opportunities for Pochettino to win the first silverware of his promising managerial career.
This was an important step towards ending that drought.
"We were very competitive. The effort was massive. Whether or not we win titles, I'm so proud to have this squad," Pochettino said.
"We played one of the best teams in Europe. To win this type of game is an amazing experience for us to be more mature."
Pochettino challenged Tottenham to finish the job in the second leg at Stamford Bridge on January 24.
"Of course it is only half-time in the tie. We have only a little advantage," he said.
"It is going to be different in the second leg. We have to show we can beat them there and go to the final."
It was another frustrating night for Chelsea, who recovered from a sluggish start to dominate the second half without turning their possession into goals — a familiar tale of woe for Maurizio Sarri's men.
"We deserved more. We played better than them and were in control of the match," Sarri insisted.
"I'm really disappointed with the result but really happy with the performance. It is one of the most important performances of the season for my team."