Arsenal secured their place in the final of the League Cup with a nervy 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, ending a run of four consecutive semi-final defeats. Kai Havertz scored a stoppage-time breakaway goal against his former club to send Mikel Arteta's side to Wembley for the first time since winning the competition in 1993.
The match was a cagey affair compared to the drama of the first leg, which Arsenal won 3-2 at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea, needing to overturn the deficit, adopted an unexpected back three and left Cole Palmer on the bench. Despite causing Arsenal some problems in the first half, they managed only two shots on target and lacked the cutting edge to break down a well-organised home defence.
Arsenal were without captain Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka due to minor injuries, which perhaps explained their lack of fluency in attack. Mikel Arteta earned a yellow card for remonstrating with the fourth official after a foul on João Pedro. The hosts had a golden opportunity 13 minutes from time when Gabriel Magalhães connected with a corner, but it was Havertz who finally settled the tie in stoppage time.
Liam Rosenior's Chelsea side had hoped to play on the anxieties of the home crowd following Arsenal's recent defeat to Manchester United. They pressed high and forced an early error from William Saliba, but Liam Delap fired wide. Enzo Fernández tested Kepa Arrizabalaga before the break, and second-half substitutes Palmer and Estêvão forced saves, but Arsenal held firm.
For Arteta, the victory is a significant step towards ending a six-year trophy drought. A potential final against title rivals Manchester City would add more drama as Arsenal chase a possible quadruple, but for now, they can celebrate a long-awaited return to Wembley.
