Arsenal in the quarter-final of the English League Cup 2025/26 passed Crystal Palace

English League Cup 2025/26, 1/4 final

Arsenal – Crystal Palace – 1:1 (penalty series – 8:7)

Goals: Lacroa, 80 (own goal) – Guehi, 90+5

You can’t say that from the current Arsenal you expect total domination and pressure. Mikel Arteta’s team has long became pragmatic, and in recent rounds due to a series of personnel losses, the “Gunners” generally played strenuously – though they achieved the needed result. However, in the home game against Crystal Palace, the north Londoners returned to the bright football from the beginning of the season.

The hosts could open the score already on the 4th minute as a result of a counterattack, which was finished by Madueke. Noni shot from the semicircle line, but right at the goalkeeper’s position. Much more dangerously the winger struck on the 22nd minute, closing Merino’s cross at the far post – the Englishman hammered from a meter, but Benitez parried! Jesus then played on the rebound, but the defenders backed up the goalkeeper.

Three minutes later, Martinelli made a cross from the left edge of the penalty area, lofting the ball to the 11-meter mark area. There was Jesus, who jumped over opponents and directed the sphere under the right post. It would have been a goal, if not for another save by Benitez! Before the break, Martinelli beat Canvo and crossed to the far side, and Timber headed the shot – over the crossbar!

The first half ended with a score of 12:2 in shots. Arsenal possessed the ball 79% of the time and entered the “Eagles’” penalty area 38 times, generating 1.44 expected goals. Oliver Glasner’s charges were allowed nothing at all – nevertheless, the teams went to rest with zeros on the scoreboard.

In the second half, the advantage also remained on the side of the “Gunners,” but possession dropped to 55%, and in shots it was 8:4. Most importantly, the north Londoners didn’t create sharp moments until the 70s minutes, and Crystal Palace by that time could have scored! In particular, on the 55th minute, Wharton received a pass from Mitchell and hammered from the semicircle line – the ball passed close to the left post!

On the 62nd, Clyne scored a goal after a throw-in from out, but the goal was disallowed for obvious reasons. The hosts responded only on the 70th minute, when fresh Odegaard made a masterful lob into the center of the penalty area. Jesus again jumped the highest and headed into the left bottom, but the ball flew centimeters away from it.

The pace of the game somewhat dropped due to Richards’ injury, but right after resuming play, Arsenal created a new moment – Jesus hooked onto a clearance, flew into the perimeter and fired over the crossbar. On the 80th minute, Merino curled into the far top corner, forcing Benitez to make a top save.

But only after that came a corner, which brought the hosts the long-awaited goal. More precisely, an own goal after a scramble, Saliba’s shot and a slice from Lacroix. 1:0!

It seemed that Arsenal would no longer lose the victory. On the 2nd added minute, Timber could even finish off the guests, turning around Guehi and shooting from the goalkeeper’s line, but Benitez got the ball from the left corner. At the Emirates, they were already preparing for celebration.

No one expected that the same Guehi on the 5th added would equalize the score, closing Lerma’s knockdown after a corner cross. In this episode, both “Gunners’” center-backs lost their duel (Saliba and Calafiori).

However, the last word could have stayed with Mikel Arteta’s charges – a corner on the 12th added ended with Rice’s shot from the left corner of the goalkeeper’s area. Benitez parried, after which the final whistle sounded.

The referee sent the teams to a penalty series. The first seven kicks of their own the teams realized brilliantly. The hosts’ eighth attempt was also accurate, but the guests finally erred – Kepa finally guessed the direction and parried Lacroix’s shot. The player who scored the own goal finally finished off Crystal Palace.