Arsenal have secured a mouth-watering Carabao Cup semi-final clash against London rivals Chelsea after surviving a major scare to beat Crystal Palace in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium.
Dramatic Quarter-Final Goes the Distance
The Gunners looked to have booked their place in the last four in normal time on Tuesday evening, thanks to an 80th-minute own goal from Palace defender Maxence Lacroix. However, in a stunning twist, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi headed home deep into injury time to force the quarter-final tie straight to penalties.
The shootout was a tense affair of remarkable quality, with the first 15 players all converting their spot-kicks. The drama finally concluded when Lacroix's miserable night was compounded as his effort was saved by Arsenal's back-up goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga. The save sealed an 8-7 victory on penalties for Mikel Arteta's side.
London Derby Awaits in Semi-Final Showdown
The result sets up a two-legged semi-final against Chelsea, with the first leg scheduled for Stamford Bridge on January 14. The return leg at the Emirates Stadium will follow on February 3. The other semi-final will see Manchester City take on holders Newcastle United.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino, speaking to ITV after the match, acknowledged the challenge ahead. "That will be a big game, a massive game against a hard opponent," he said. "It didn’t matter who we played, everyone [left] is a really good team. We’ll focus now on the next game and then we’ll see Chelsea in the semi-finals."
Kepa the Hero as Gunners Eye Silverware
Goalkeeper Kepa, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea last summer, emphasised the team's trophy ambitions. "Right now, if you want a trophy, that’s something that we want. We have to fight against good teams," he stated. "I think both semi-finals are big games, it’s going to be tough, but we’ll prepare well. We’ll be ready and we’ll go for it."
Reflecting on the chaotic victory over Palace, Merino admitted relief. "Unbelievable. It was more complicated than it should be, to be honest," he said. "An amazing first half, we created so many chances. The team deserved to win comfortably today but this is football. This is why football is so great." He also praised Kepa's contribution: "So pleased for him. He deserves it... the decisive one he saves it. It shows everyone in this team has their time and he saved us."
Manager Mikel Arteta echoed his player's sentiments, expressing happiness at progressing but acknowledging his team's profligacy. "Very happy to be in the semi-final," Arteta said. "We played against a team that is very difficult to generate chances against. We generated a lot and should have scored many more goals. When you don’t close the games, it can always happen."
The semi-final pits an Arsenal side flying high at the top of the Premier League and their Champions League group against a Chelsea team that has slipped 10 points behind the Gunners in the league. However, the Blues remain dangerous, having won the Club World Cup in the summer and secured a heavy victory over Barcelona last month.
