William Saliba of Arsenal celebrates after the English Football League Cup semifinal second leg match between Arsenal and Chelsea in London, Britain, Feb. 3, 2026. (Xinhua)
London, United Kingdom: Arsenal reached the final of the English Football League Cup for the first time since 2018 after edging Chelsea 1-0 on Tuesday to complete a 4-2 aggregate semifinal victory.
Chelsea, beaten 3-2 at home in the first leg, dominated possession and created more chances but could not find a breakthrough. Instead, it was Arsenal that struck deep into stoppage time when Kai Havertz rounded goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and slotted home a low finish.
The victory sends Arsenal into the EFL Cup final for the ninth time in the club's history. The Gunners have lifted the trophy twice, most recently in 1993.
The second leg of the other semifinal will be played on Wednesday, with Manchester City, leading 2-0 from the first leg, hosting Newcastle United.
