Arsenal moved a step nearer ending their wait for a major honour by eliminating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final at Emirates Stadium.
Carrying a 3-2 advantage from the opening meeting, the north London side needed a dramatic finish to complete the job, finally breaking through in the 97th minute of a nervy second leg.
Introduced from the bench, Kai Havertz provided the decisive touch. The forward took the ball around Robert Sanchez and calmly finished to decide the contest on the night.
The result sends Mikel Arteta’s team to next month’s final at Wembley, where Manchester City or Newcastle will stand in their way.
Momentum building under Arteta
The reaction from the stands as the goal crossed the line underlined how meaningful the moment felt for Arsenal supporters.
Since lifting the FA Cup in Arteta’s debut season, the club have endured near-misses, finishing second in the Premier League for three consecutive campaigns. Reaching another final now appears a tangible step toward converting progress into trophies.
Arteta witnessed first-hand how Manchester City’s initial success under Pep Guardiola triggered a sustained period of achievement, having worked within that coaching setup.
Arsenal’s current campaign has been strong on multiple fronts. They lead the Premier League table, have reached the FA Cup fourth round, remain perfect in the Champions League with eight wins, and have now secured a place in the EFL Cup showpiece.
With standards set high inside the squad, the prospect of silverware no longer feels distant.
Rosenior reshapes Chelsea’s approach
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior demonstrated a more flexible tactical outlook than seen earlier in his short tenure.
Having largely retained Enzo Maresca’s structure during his first month in charge, Rosenior opted for a back three, a system not used by the club since March 2024. The shape has historic roots at Stamford Bridge, having delivered success under Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.
He also left three attackers high when defending corners, aiming to threaten on the break. While this allowed Arsenal numerical superiority in the penalty area, committing extra bodies forward would have exposed Chelsea to counters.
The hosts responded by dropping additional players into defensive positions, which gave Sanchez room to come and collect crosses. This contrasted sharply with the first leg, when Chelsea conceded three times from set pieces.
For much of the opening half, Arsenal’s attacking quartet saw little of the ball, and Chelsea nearly profited when Fernandez tested the goalkeeper before the interval.
Changes arrived just before the hour mark as Cole Palmer and Estevao entered, with Alejandro Garnacho later added for extra attacking thrust. Despite increased pressure, Arsenal’s defensive structure held firm, limiting Chelsea to Fofana’s late flick from a corner and several attempts from distance.
Although the defeat ended Chelsea’s run, the performance marked a clear improvement from the earlier meeting, offering Rosenior reasons for optimism despite Havertz delivering the final blow.
