Arsenal reach League Cup semis in shoot-out
Kepa Arrizabalaga was the hero of Arsenal’s League Cup quarter-final on Tuesday with the decisive save on penalties that ended a miserable evening for Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.
Lacroix’s own goal gave Arsenal the lead 10 minutes from time at the Emirates Stadium before Marc Guehi snatched Palace’s equalizer in stoppage time in the 1-1 draw.
This set the stage for a shootout in which both teams scored their first seven penalties.
Photo: AP
William Saliba converted Arsenal’s eighth spot-kick and Kepa dived to his right to save Lacroix’s effort and secure an 8-7 victory.
It was a cathartic moment for the Spanish goalkeeper, who infamously refused to be replaced before Chelsea’s League Cup penalty shootout defeat to Manchester City in 2018-19.
Kepa also missed a shot on goal in the Blues’ 2021-22 League Cup final shootout defeat to Liverpool.
“Emotionally you have to be focused, be strong,” Kepa told Arsenal’s official website. “Because obviously when you concede a goal in the last minute and then you have to go to penalties, you have to be 100% focused on your penalty takers who you have to save.”
“So there was a change in mentality, and it worked,” he said. “And then we have to thank the guys, they took incredible penalties. They kept us in the match and they gave me the opportunity to make a save.”
The Gunners face London rivals Chelsea in two-legged semi-finals next month and in February, while Manchester City face title holders Newcastle United in the other last-four clash.
“We generated a lot and should have scored a lot more goals. When you don’t close out games it can always happen that you concede,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “We had some great individual performances. Kepa, his level of engagement with the group is just incredible.”
Arsenal are in the League Cup semi-finals for the second year running as they aim for their first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2019-20.
The north Londoners have only won the League Cup twice, their last triumph coming in 1992-93, before any of their current squad were born.
Additional reporting from Reuters