Kepa Arrizabalaga became the hero as he saved the decisive penalty from Maxence Lacroix, helping Arsenal win a dramatic shootout. The victory secures the Gunners a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in a match filled with tension until the final whistle.
Late own goal gives Arsenal hope
Arsenal believed they had sealed the win when Lacroix scored an own goal in the 80th minute. The Palace defender accidentally bundled the ball into his own net while attempting to clear after an Arsenal corner. The strike seemed to hand Arsenal the victory, but the drama was far from over.
Crystal Palace fight back
Palace struck a dramatic equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Adam Wharton floated in a free-kick, and Marc Guehi reacted fastest to Jefferson Lerma’s knockdown to score from close range. The leveller forced the game into extra tension, leaving Arsenal fans on edge.
Declan Rice had a final chance to win the tie for Arsenal with the last kick of normal time but could not beat the outstanding Walter Benitez. The stand-in Palace goalkeeper produced several crucial saves throughout the match, keeping his team in contention until the dying moments.
Penalty shootout drama
The shootout produced high-quality tension, with Lacroix stepping up for Palace at 8-7. Arrizabalaga dived sharply to his right and pushed the ball away, clinching the win for Arsenal. The victory propels the Gunners into the semi-finals, where they will face London rivals Chelsea over two legs for a place in the final.
Arsenal analysis: progress but concerns remain
Mikel Arteta will feel relieved that his team advanced but disappointed by their performance. Arsenal missed numerous chances before Lacroix’s late own goal, revealing a lack of sharpness. Arteta made eight changes from the side that beat Everton, including Gabriel Jesus starting his first match in 345 days after recovering from an ACL injury, but the performance felt fragmented.
Even by his own standards, Arteta displayed intense emotion in the technical area, growing more animated as the game entered the final minutes. William Saliba conceded a needless free-kick in stoppage time that led to Palace’s equaliser, though his teammates ensured the mistake did not end Arsenal’s campaign. The team has struggled with consistency recently, drawing against Sunderland and Chelsea and losing to Aston Villa, leaving them short of the form they showed at the start of the season.
Crystal Palace analysis: strong effort but falls short
For Crystal Palace, 2025 remains one of the most successful years in the club’s history. The Eagles already hold the FA Cup and Community Shield and are competing in Europe for the first time, marking a period of growth and achievement in south London.
Manager Oliver Glasner faced limitations in his squad, making three changes from the side thrashed at Leeds. Palace have shown signs of fatigue, as the busy fixture schedule tests their relatively small squad. Despite the challenges, Glasner has instilled resilience, which allowed Palace to equalise late in the game.
Palace also contend with injuries to key players. Daniel Munoz remains sidelined, Chris Richards suffered what appeared to be a serious injury during the match, and striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is carrying a knock. Nevertheless, Glasner keeps his squad competitive across multiple competitions. While the Eagles fell short of reaching the semi-finals, they can take pride in their fight against one of England’s top teams.
