Arsenal Advance to Carabao Cup Semi-Finals with Dramatic Penalty Victory Over Crystal Palace

Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a tense 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, ultimately triumphing 8-7 in a penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium on December 23, 2025.

The match was a tightly contested affair, with Arsenal dominating possession but struggling to break down a resilient Palace defence. The Gunners took the lead in the 79th minute when Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned Bukayo Saka's corner into his own net under pressure.

Palace refused to capitulate and equalised deep into stoppage time. Marc Guéhi capitalised on a goalmouth scramble, sweeping home from close range after Jefferson Lerma's header from an Adam Wharton free-kick caused chaos in the Arsenal box.

With no further goals in normal time, the tie went straight to penalties. The shootout proved extraordinarily nerve-wracking, with the first 15 spot-kicks all successfully converted. Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga emerged as the hero, diving low to his right to deny Lacroix's effort—the same player who had scored the unfortunate own goal earlier.

The victory sets up a blockbuster London derby semi-final against Chelsea over two legs, with the first leg at Stamford Bridge in the week commencing January 12, 2026, and the return at the Emirates in early February. The other semi-final pits holders Newcastle United against Manchester City.

Arsenal, seeking their first Carabao Cup triumph since 1993, will aim to navigate the high-stakes tie amid a congested fixture schedule.