Advantage Arsenal in League Cup semi-final after win at Chelsea
Arsenal edged towards their first League Cup final since 2018 as they beat London rivals Chelsea 3-2 in the opening leg of their semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side were dominant for long spells and goals by Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi should have virtually sewn up the tie.
But Chelsea showed plenty of fight in Liam Rosenior’s first home game in charge and a double from substitute Alejandro Garnacho kept their hopes alive.
With 17 goal attempts compared to Chelsea’s 10, Arsenal will feel they should have gone home with a bigger margin of victory and it will be all to play for in north London on February 3.
“We didn’t play very well in the second half,” White said. “We let them pressure us and it wasn’t up to our standards so a bit disappointing in the second half. But it’s a win.”
Top of the Premier League and the Champions League and into the fourth round of the FA Cup, Arsenal are still in contention for four trophies, but the League Cup represents the earliest chance to win their first silverware since 2020.
They certainly began as if they were determined to book a Wembley date and took the lead after seven minutes with the kind of goal that has become their trademark this season.
Declan Rice swung in a corner and with Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and his defenders struggling, White had space to head down and into the net.
RARE GYOKORES GOAL
Chelsea huffed and puffed in response but did not look like troubling Arsenal and found themselves in real trouble shortly after the break as big-money summer signing Gyokores netted for just the second time in his last 11 appearances.
Sanchez fumbled White’s low cross and the ball squirmed free for the Swede to tap in.
Rosenior reacted by sending on Garnacho and he made an immediate impact as Pedro Neto’s cross reached him beyond the far post and he steadied himself before firing in from an angle.
Chelsea were re-energised but Arsenal picked them off in the 71st minute with Gyokores this time turning provider with a ball inside to Zubimendi who showed great composure before sending a rasping shot past Sanchez.
That looked to have knocked the stuffing out of the hosts but Garnacho remained lively and when the ball dropped to him on the edge of the area he bounced a shot through a crowd late on.
Manchester City beat Newcastle United 2-0 in the first leg of the other semi-final on Tuesday.