Wednesday February 04, 2026

Arsenal beat Chelsea to reach EFL Cup final

Published : 04 Feb 2026, 10:37

  DF News Desk
Noni Madueke (R) of Arsenal battles with Jorrel Hato of Chelsea during the English Football League Cup semifinal second leg in London, Britain, Feb. 3, 2026. Photo: Xinhua.

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, reported Xinhua.

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.