Arsenal reach EFL Cup final

Arsenal 1 - 0 Chelsea (Arsenal won 4-2 on aggregate)

Arsenal moved to within one game of their first major trophy since 2020

Author | DJ

Stadium | Emirates Stadium

Holding a 3-2 advantage from the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s side were made to wait until the seventh minute of added time to confirm their progress on a nervy night at the Emirates Stadium. Kai Havertz, introduced from the bench, delivered the decisive moment, rounding Robert Sánchez before calmly rolling the ball into an empty net.

Arsenal, who sit top of the Premier League and remain alive in three cup competitions, will meet either Manchester City or Newcastle at Wembley next month. The sense of occasion was unmistakable, even if the contest itself was often tight and attritional.

How Arsenal and Arteta booked a trip down Wembley Way

The hosts began on the front foot but found space hard to come by against a Chelsea side set up in a back five, with clear chances at a premium before the interval. Liam Rosenior attempted to shift the momentum on the hour by sending on Estêvão and Cole Palmer, yet Arsenal’s control and defensive discipline largely blunted any threat.

That resilience proved decisive. Havertz, only recently back from injury, provided the composure that had been missing, ensuring Arsenal’s aggregate success at the death. It booked a return to the League Cup final for the first time since 2018 and kept alive the possibility of a first piece of major silverware since their FA Cup triumph, also at Chelsea’s expense, four years ago.