The London derby on 3/2 unfolded under heavy rain at Emirates. Given the high stakes of the semi-final, the two teams adopted a cautious approach, prioritizing defense and creating virtually no truly dangerous chances during the 90 minutes.

The decisive moment arrived in the seventh minute of injury time, stemming from a sharp counter-attack down the right flank. Leandro Trossard threaded a pass along the wing to Declan Rice, who then delivered a cross into the center for Kai Havertz. The German forward rounded goalkeeper Robert Sanchez before slotting the ball into an empty net with his right foot, ending all hopes for his former club, Chelsea.

Kai Havertz rounds Robert Sanchez and shoots into an empty net during Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 3/2/2026. Photo: Reuters

The 1-0 result extends Arsenal's unbeaten streak against Chelsea across all competitions to 10 matches, comprising seven wins and three draws. More importantly, the Gunners have reached the League Cup final for the first time since the 2017-2018 season, when they suffered a 0-3 defeat to Man City.

Arsenal will face either Man City or Newcastle in the final at Wembley Stadium on 22/3. They will be aiming for their third League Cup title in club history, following their successes in the 1986-1987 and 1992-1993 seasons.

This also marks the Gunners' first final appearance in any competition since the 2020 FA Cup. In that match, the North London club defeated Chelsea 2-1, thanks to a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, securing their first trophy under coach Mikel Arteta.

Hong Duy