Arsenal FC needed the penalty shootout to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup with a 9:8 (1:1, 0:0) win against Crystal Palace. Ex-Wolfsburg player Maxence Lacroix was extremely unlucky at Palace.
After 90 minutes, the Premier League duel between the two London clubs was 1-1 (0-0).
The decisive penalty was missed by Frenchman Lacroix, who had already scored an own goal in the 80th minute to give Arsenal the lead. Previously, all 15 shooters had converted safely.
Marc Guéhi equalized for Crystal Palace deep in stoppage time to make it 1-1 (90th +5). There is no extra time in the League Cup in England, it goes straight to penalties.
Eight changes at Arsenal
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta had made eight changes to his team compared to the 1-0 win at Everton in the Premier League at the weekend. From the start, the game developed in one direction – that of the Palace goal.
Again and again it came down to Arsenal FC’s left side of the attack. Gabriel Martinelli set an enormous pace, put in a huge amount of effort and constantly fed the center of the attack with crosses, but no one was able to use them. Noni Mandueke in particular was far too careless with the Martinelli input.
Walter Benitez is doing great
And then there was a great keeper in the Palace goal. The Argentinian Walter Benitez held what had to be held. He scratched a header from Gabriel Jesus, who was in the starting line-up for the Gunners for the first time after his cruciate ligament injury, off the line. Of course Martinelli crossed.
Palace’s heavy workload over the past few days – nine competitive games so far in December – was clearly noticeable. The “Eagles” whistled out of the last hole. The 0-0 score at half-time was flattering for them.
Lacroix loses track
But the break was obviously good, because in the second 45 minutes the oppressive superiority of the hosts was over. Coach Oliver Glasner’s protégés now played a more even game but were unlucky.
After a corner, Riccardo Calafiori headed into the center. There, both teams fought for the ball before Lacroix unfortunately tipped it into his own goal.
When everything looked like a difficult Arsenal victory, the “Eagles” struck again. Jefferson Lerma nodded a cross ball right onto the foot of Marc Guéhi, who, standing free in front of the goal, pushed in with his right.
Arsenal’s Wiliam Saliba celebrates Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix’s own goal (r.)
So it went to penalties – with the better end for Arteta’s team.
Chelsea are waiting in the semi-finals
Arsenal FC will now face Chelsea FC in the semi-finals and will first have to play away on January 13th. Manchester City and Newcastle United face each other in the second semi-final of the League Cup.