0
0
Arsenal entered the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi final at Emirates Stadium on 3 February 2026 holding a 3-2 lead from the first leg played at Stamford Bridge earlier in January. In that opening match, Arsenal had taken control with goals from Ben White and Viktor Gyokeres before Chelsea responded through Alejandro Garnacho, leaving the aggregate score in Arsenal’s favour going into the return tie.
Tight Contest in London
The second leg began as a cautious match between the two London rivals. Both teams created few clear scoring chances and Chelsea applied a defensive system to protect their deficit. Neither side managed to break the deadlock for most of the match, and goalkeepers on both sides made routine saves in a low–tempo encounter.
Decisive Injury Time Goal
Arsenal’s breakthrough came in stoppage time. Midfielder Declan Rice drove a counterattack, passed to forward Kai Havertz, who had previously played for Chelsea, and Havertz rounded goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to score the only goal of the match deep into added minutes. This late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 victory on the night and a 4-2 win on aggregate overall.
Reaction from Both Sides
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the team for their resilience in the match, noting their focus on defensive organisation and patience in attack. Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior introduced attacking players such as Cole Palmer and Estevao in the second half in an effort to turn the tie in Chelsea’s favour, but these changes did not produce the needed score.
Path to the Final
With their aggregate victory secured, Arsenal progressed to the Carabao Cup final scheduled for March 22, 2026 at Wembley Stadium. They awaited the winners of the other semi final between Manchester City and Newcastle United to know their final opponent.
Match Details
The match took place at Emirates Stadium in London with an attendance of more than 59,000 supporters. The referee for the fixture oversaw a disciplined and competitive contest that only opened in the final minutes.
