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Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (Arsenal win 8-7 on penalties): Kepa Arrizabalaga saved Maxence Lacroix’s penalty to seal semi-final spot
Flo Clifford Tuesday 23 December 2025 23:20 GMT- Bookmark
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Arsenal beat Crystal Palace in a thrilling, high-quality penalty shootout to seal their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
The match ended 1-1 in normal time after Palace captain Marc Guehi cancelled out teammate Maxence Lacroix’s own goal with a stoppage-time equaliser.
But Kepa Arrizabalaga saved Lacroix’s penalty on an unlucky night for the defender to set up a two-legged club against his former club Chelsea.
Arsenal peppered Palace’s goal throughout but keeper Walter Benitez produced a superb performance to deny Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus multiple times, before an 80th minute set-piece broke the deadlock as Lacroix nudged it home.
Guehi equalised to send the tie to penalties but his heroics were not enough as Palace came unstuck in the shootout.
Follow all the action from the Emirates with The Independent’s live blog below:
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Arsenal outlast Crystal Palace in marathon shoot-out to reach Carabao Cup semi-finals
Arsenal secured their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after a marathon 8-7 sudden-death penalty shoot-out victory over Crystal Palace.
Arsenal dominated the first half – with second-choice Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez delivering a string of fine saves – but the last-eight tie at the Emirates Stadium hung in the balance after the interval following an improved performance by the visitors.
The home side made the breakthrough when Palace were unable to clear Bukayo Saka’s corner before Maxence Lacroix put the ball through his own net with 10 minutes left.
However, Palace sensationally struck back in the fifth of nine added minutes after Marc Guehi swept home Jefferson Lerma’s brilliant header from Adam Wharton’s set-piece.
With both teams clinically scoring their first seven spot-kicks, William Saliba put his side one clear before Lacroix saw his effort saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal outlast Crystal Palace in marathon shoot-out to reach Carabao Cup semi-finals
Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (Arsenal win 8-7 on penalties): Kepa Arrizabalaga saved Maxence Lacroix’s penalty to seal a semi-final spot for the GunnersFlo Clifford23 December 2025 23:20'Second half was really good' - Oliver Glasner
Oliver Glasner is asked whether there were positives to take from that encounter. “Second half, yes [proud]. Really great goalkeeper, who kept us in the game but in the second half I saw a different team.
“Coming back here was really great. I don't know if I've seen a shoot-out where all the penalties are taken so well.
“We have to build on the second half performance, everyone is telling us we have fatigue but if you can switch and play like we did in the second half at the Emirates, it's very positive.
“We were braver and much more aggressive. We played more in their half. It was much better than the first half, we were too passive. It is not easy to play here against Arsenal.
“What we have shown in the second half was really good.”
He says Chris Richards required stitches on a cut but the injury otherwise doesn’t look “too bad”.
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 23:07Martinelli 'could not continue' - Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta tells Sky Sports: “Very happy to be in the semi-final. We played against a team that is very hard to generate chances. We generated a lot and should have had more goals.
“When you don't close the game, it can always happen. The players were so composed wit the penalties.
“In the second half they were more aggressive but overall, it's another victory and I'm very happy.”
On Gabriel Martinelli coming off, he says: “He could not carry on so what we had to make the sub.”
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 23:00'You have to keep your cool' - Kepa Arrizabalaga
Man of the hour Kepa Arrizabalaga tells Sky Sports: “I think we play so well and then they changed, they adapt a little bit. It's something we have to improve, we have been conceding in the last minute.”
On his penalty save, he says: “You have to keep your cool, be focused and don't lose your focus."
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:52'Kepa saved us' - William Saliba
A cheerful William Saliba tells Sky Sports: “It was a tough game against a top team. We did well. Apart from my mistake, we played well.
“We are so happy to be in the semi-final. At the end, Kepa saved us. We want to win both games and go into the final.”
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:45Arsenal win 8-7 on penalties
The Emirates is absolutely bouncing after that, pure joy after the unbearable tension of that shootout.
(Getty Images)Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:40Arsenal to face Chelsea
The the first leg of that semi-final will be on Wednesday 14 January at 8pm.
The return leg will be played on Tuesday 3 February 3 at 8pm.
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:35Arsenal win 8-7 on penalties
Poor Maxence Lacroix, unlucky first with an own goal that he only just got a touch too, then unlucky to have the vital penalty saved.
(Getty Images)Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:30Arsenal into Carabao Cup semi-finals
So after 15 superb penalties, Arsenal are through after Kepa saved from Lacroix.
They’ll face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:27Arsenal 8-7 Crystal Palace - ARSENAL INTO SEMI-FINALS
Maxence Lacroix, who was responsible for the own goal, is next to step up.
Pressure? Oh my word, it’s saved! Kepa gets down low to his right, and Arsenal are through to the semi-final!
Flo Clifford23 December 2025 22:20Newer1 / 10OlderMore about
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