Arsenal’s hunt for silverware remains alive by the thinnest of margins after a night of pure drama at the Emirates. What looked like a routine 1-0 victory turned into a chaotic 1-1 draw in the dying seconds, forcing a marathon penalty shootout that saw the Gunners ultimately prevail 8-7.
For 90 minutes, Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession, yet struggled to find the clinical edge that has defined their recent league run.
After relentless pressure, Arsenal finally took the lead when a Bukayo Saka corner caused mayhem in the box, eventually bouncing in off Palace defender Maxence Lacroix for an own goal.
Just as the Emirates was preparing to celebrate, Palace captain Marc Guéhi silenced the crowd, prodding home a dramatic equalizer deep into stoppage time to force the game into a shootout.
In the ensuing shootout, every single player was flawless until the 16th kick. Kepa Arrizabalaga, silencing his critics, dived low to his right to save Lacroix’s penalty, sending Arsenal into the semi-finals.
Arsenal head into Christmas Day as League Leaders and Cup Semi-Finalists. The dream of a domestic double is officially on.
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