Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-2 at Stamford Bridge and took the upper hand in the Carabao Cup semifinal in a game shaped by decisive mistakes, quick responses and constant shifts in momentum. The scoreline was tight, but the most important moments leaned toward the visitors, who made the most of Chelsea’s errors and built the result through fine margins. Those details can be traced through five key moments of the London derby.
An early goal that changed the direction of the game
The first of those moments came far too early for Chelsea. In the seventh minute, Declan Rice delivered a corner kick, Robert Sánchez came off his line poorly and left Ben White free to head the ball home. Arsenal opened the scoring before the game had settled, changing the tone of the night and forcing the hosts to chase the result from the outset.
Chelsea push forward as Arsenal manage the first half
Trailing on the scoreboard, Chelsea saw more of the ball and tried to raise the tempo. Estêvão was the most active player in attack, taking on defenders, shooting from range and forcing saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga. The first half stayed balanced, with few clear chances. Arsenal looked to exploit the space left by Chelsea’s pressure and threatened mainly from set pieces and long-range efforts, including a shot from Saliba.
The same mistake and another blow after the break
The second half opened with another decisive error. Ben White crossed from the right, Sánchez tried to clear the ball and missed it completely. The rebound fell to Gyokeres, who finished into an empty net to double Arsenal’s lead. Chelsea once again found themselves facing a significant setback just minutes into the half.
Reaction, response and an open ending
The home side’s reaction came when Pedro Neto crossed from the right and Alejandro Garnacho appeared on the far side to score. The goal pulled Chelsea back into the game, but Arsenal responded quickly. Zubimendi picked up the ball at the edge of the box, beat two defenders and placed his shot to make it 3-1. Garnacho struck again in the 83rd minute, finishing a loose ball in the area and keeping the match alive until the final whistle. Despite late pressure, the score didn’t change.
The 3-2 win gives Arsenal a slim advantage heading into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium. At Stamford Bridge, the result was shaped by Chelsea’s mistakes, Arsenal’s efficiency in decisive moments and quick replies whenever the hosts tried to fight back.