Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (8-7 on pens): Report as Gunners clinch semi-final spot after epic shootout
The Gunners took advantage of Maxence Lacroix’s unfortunate mistake.
Arsenal is set to meet Chelsea in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup after defeating Crystal Palace in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 tie during regulation time.
The Gunners were dominant in the first half of the final remaining quarter-final match, but they faced a superb performance from Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez.
Although Palace showed significant improvement in the second half, Arsenal managed to score in the 80th minute when Maxence Lacroix unintentionally deflected the ball into his own net from a corner.
Marc Guehi temporarily rescued his teammate’s embarrassment by equalizing in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
However, further misfortune struck Lacroix as he became the only player out of 16 penalty takers whose kick was saved, with Kepa Arrizabalaga diving to his right to propel Arsenal into a two-leg matchup against his former club.
Benitez frustrates Arsenal
The tone of the first half was established when Noni Madueke burst through on goal in the third minute, only to fire directly at Walter Benitez, who also denied the same player 20 minutes later as Arsenal maintained their dominance.
Benitez then executed a remarkable low save to his left to deny a header from Gabriel Jesus, and his quick reflexes came in handy once more when he stopped Madueke’s strike at the far post, with Jurrien Timber’s header soaring over just before the half-time whistle, summing up a frustrating period for the Gunners.
Palace appeared much more secure defensively after the break, yet it wasn’t until Adam Wharton shot wide from long distance just shy of the hour that they hinted at their attacking potential.
Lacroix’s evening to forget
Things took a turn for the visitors when defender Chris Richards had to exit due to an injury following a lengthy stoppage. After Jesus missed two more chances, Arsenal took the lead during a chaotic sequence from a corner that saw Lacroix put the ball past his own goalkeeper.
However, the interruption due to Richards’ injury granted Palace nine additional minutes to equalize, and Guehi did just that as he converted through Kepa’s legs following a knockdown from Jefferson Lerma.
Benitez continued to shine by stopping Declan Rice from clinching victory at the end, but he couldn’t get near any of Arsenal’s penalties in a shootout that showcased a remarkably high standard; Lacroix’s distressing night was confirmed as he struggled to replicate the composure of the previous 15 takers.
After being defeated in the semi-finals of last season’s EFL Cup by the eventual champions Newcastle United, Arsenal has business left unfinished in this tournament and will need to be sharper if they are to overcome Chelsea and secure a spot at Wembley in March.
Published: 2025-12-23 22:30:00
source: www.101greatgoals.com
