Arsenal took a major step toward their first League Cup final in eight years with a frantic 3-2 victory over London rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. While Mikel Arteta’s side dominated for large spells at Stamford Bridge, a spirited second-half brace from Chelsea substitute Alejandro Garnacho ensured the tie remains delicately poised heading into the second leg.
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The game served as a difficult initiation for the Chelsea head coach, Liam Rosenior, in his debut home match. Despite a depleted squad and errors from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, the Blues showed enough late resilience to stay in the contest before the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium on February 3.
Arsenal’s clinical edge from dead-ball situations; now a hallmark of Arteta’s tenure, started the scoring just seven minutes in. Ben White took advantage of Robert Sanchez’s failure to claim a Declan Rice corner, heading home from close range. It was Arsenal’s 24th goal from a set-piece this season, the highest tally in Europe's top five leagues.
Chelsea struggled to find an answer in the first half, and their problems doubled shortly after the interval. Sanchez was again at fault, fumbling a low cross from White into the path of Viktor Gyokeres, who tapped in for his first goal from open play in 16 matches.
With the home crowd growing restless and chanting against the club's hierarchy, Rosenior turned to Alejandro Garnacho. The former Manchester United winger made an instant impact, volleying home a Pedro Neto cross in the 57th minute to ignite a Stamford Bridge revival.
Arsenal briefly silenced the home support in the 71st minute when Martin Zubimendi produced a moment of individual brilliance. After a clever shimmy that sent Wesley Fofana the wrong way, the Spaniard fired a rasping shot past Sanchez to restore the two-goal cushion. However, Garnacho struck again in the 88th minute, pouncing on a half-cleared corner to bounce a shot through a crowded penalty area.
For Arsenal, this win ends a streak of four consecutive two-legged semi-final exits under Arteta. Their squad depth was evident as Arteta made eight changes from the weekend, yet maintained a high-intensity press that hounded Chelsea's backline.
For Chelsea, it was defensive fragility and goalkeeping errors offset by flashes of individual brilliance from expensive recruits. Rosenior, who was missing Cole Palmer and Reece James through injury, will take heart from the fight shown by his players despite the toxic atmosphere surrounding the club's ownership.
