Arsenal booked their place in the Carabao Cup final as Kai Havertz’s stoppage-time goal earned them a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium and a 4-2 aggregate victory.
At the end of a hard-fought clash, substitute Havertz latched on to Declan Rice’s cross before dribbling around Chelsea goalkeeper Roberto Sanchez and finishing into an empty net to secure Arsenal’s place in their first cup final since 2020.
Chelsea, who needed a goal to equalize in extra time after a five-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, had 14 shots to Arsenal’s five but failed to create any clear openings.
The Gunners were largely content to sit on their lead, only threatening on a few occasions before Havertz’s 97th-minute winner, instead reverting to their defensive excellence as they became the first club in Europe’s major leagues to record their 20th goal of the season.
Kai Havertz celebrates his late goal that confirmed Arsenal’s place in the Carabao Cup final
The win ended Arsenal’s run of four consecutive semi-final defeats under Mikel Arteta and means they will face either Manchester City or Newcastle in next month’s final at Wembley.
More to come.
When is the Carabao Cup final?
The final will be held at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22, with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 p.m.