Arsenal defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg at Emirates Stadium. The win gave them a 4-2 aggregate victory. Arsenal had led 3-2 from the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea adopted a defensive approach. They used five players in their backline. This limited Arsenal’s attacks in the first half.However Arsenal created chances. Piero Hincapie, Arsenal defender, forced a save from Robert Sanchez, Chelsea goalkeeper.
The Decisive Moment
The game remained goalless until stoppage time. Chelsea pushed forward for an equalizer. This left them exposed. Declan Rice, Arsenal midfielder, started a counter-attack. He passed to Kai Havertz, Arsenal forward. Havertz rounded Sanchez and scored in the 97th minute.
The goal sealed Arsenal’s place in the final. They faced either Manchester City or Newcastle at Wembley.
Player Performances
Havertz haunted his former club. He came on as a substitute and delivered the winner.Rice provided the assist. Leandro Trossard, Arsenal winger, set up the move with a clever pass. Chelsea’s efforts fell short. Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea midfielder, missed a late chance. Wesley Fofana, Chelsea defender, headed wide from a corner.
Post-Match Reactions
Eberechi Eze, Arsenal midfielder, praised the team’s effort. “It’s so important, we have been working so hard. When we put in performances like this, we deserve it,” Eze said. He added, “They (fans) were with us the whole game. In a stadium like this, it’s hard to play against us.”
The victory marked Arsenal’s first cup final since 2020. Moreover it kept their quadruple hopes alive. Chelsea showed emotion after the loss. Fofana appeared in tears on the pitch.
