Arsenal appeared to have settled the tie late on when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to deal with a corner in the 80th minute. The moment looked set to decide a tense contest in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Arsenal appeared to have settled the tie late on when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to deal with a corner in the 80th minute. The moment looked set to decide a tense contest in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Crystal Palace refused to accept defeat and struck back deep into added time. Adam Wharton delivered a free-kick, Jefferson Lerma flicked it on, and Marc Guehi reacted quickest to finish from close range and send the match beyond normal time.
There was still one final opportunity before penalties arrived. Declan Rice had the chance to snatch victory for the visitors with the last action of the game, yet Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez produced another strong stop to keep the tie level.
The contest was settled during a high-quality shootout that went deep. Both teams converted confidently as the tension inside the ground increased with every kick.
Benitez, drafted in as Palace’s stand-in keeper, had already underlined his influence earlier by denying Gabriel Jesus twice during open play. His efforts ensured the match reached penalties in the first place.
With the shootout poised at 8-7, Lacroix stepped forward again, this time from the spot. Kepa Arrizabalaga read the effort, dove low to his right, and pushed the ball away, sealing Arsenal’s place in the semi-finals, where Chelsea awaits over two legs.
Mikel Arteta welcomed progress into the last four but was unlikely to be fully satisfied. His side struggled to find fluency, missed several openings, and looked disjointed after eight changes from the weekend win over Everton, including Gabriel Jesus’ first start in 345 days following an ACL injury.
The Arsenal manager cut an animated figure on the touchline, particularly as the match entered its closing stages. William Saliba’s unnecessary foul in stoppage time led directly to Palace’s equaliser, though the error was ultimately not punished.
For Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace, the evening brought pride despite elimination. The Eagles, already dealing with injuries to Daniel Munoz, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and the loss of Chris Richards during the match, showed resilience late on. Their demanding schedule and limited squad depth are beginning to tell, yet the fight displayed against elite opposition underlined how competitive they remain.
