Chelsea Stunned at Home as Arsenal Seize Control in Wild Carabao Cup Semi
Good evening and what a night it’s been at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea versus Arsenal, a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg and this one delivered drama from the opening minutes right to the final whistle.
Arsenal walked into this match knowing how important it was to set the tone early and that’s exactly what they did. Inside the first ten minutes, they struck. A set-piece caused chaos in the Chelsea box and Ben White was there to take advantage. It was a calm header, but a huge moment, because it immediately put the pressure on the home side.
Chelsea tried to respond, but for long stretches of the first half, Arsenal looked more settled. They controlled the ball, slowed the game down and limited clear chances. By halftime, it was still just one-nil, but the balance of the match was clear. Arsenal were comfortable. Chelsea were searching.
Then came the second half and that’s when the game exploded. Just minutes after the restart, Arsenal doubled their lead. Viktor Gyökeres reacted quickest inside the area and suddenly Stamford Bridge went quiet again. At two-nil, it felt like Arsenal were running away with it.
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But Chelsea weren’t done. The introduction of Alejandro Garnacho changed the energy completely. He pulled one back with a sharp finish and for a moment, belief returned to the stands. That belief didn’t last long. Arsenal responded with real authority. MartÃn Zubimendi drove forward and finished brilliantly to restore the two-goal cushion.
At three-one, Arsenal looked in full control, but football rarely stays that simple. Garnacho struck again late on, smashing home his second goal of the night and giving Chelsea a lifeline. The final minutes were frantic. Chelsea pushed, Arsenal defended and every touch felt heavy with tension.
When the whistle blew, it finished Chelsea two, Arsenal three. A big away win for the Gunners, but not a knockout punch. This tie is still alive.
The bigger picture here is important. Arsenal showed depth, composure and ruthlessness away from home. Chelsea, despite missing key players and dealing with ongoing questions around fitness decisions, showed fight and flashes of quality, especially late on.
Now everything shifts to the second leg. Arsenal have the advantage, but Chelsea have hope. And in a rivalry like this, that can be dangerous.
That’s all from Stamford Bridge tonight. The Carabao Cup semi-final is far from settled and the return leg promises even more drama.
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