ARSENAL CLINCH WEMBLEY SPOT WITH LATE HAVERTZ WINNER

Arsenal have booked their place in the 2026 League Cup final after a tense semi-final showdown with London rivals Chelsea.

The Gunners sealed a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a dramatic late goal from Kai Havertz. The win completed a 4-2 aggregate success over Chelsea and sent Arsenal through to their first League Cup final since 2018.

The semi-final second leg looked set for a cagey finish, with both sides struggling to find clear openings through much of the 90 minutes.

But Arsenal refused to sit back, and it was a substitute Havertz, a former Chelsea player, who made the decisive impact deep into stoppage time, rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home in the seventh minute of added time to spark wild celebrations among the home crowd.

Chelsea threw everything at the tie, with manager Liam Rosenior introducing attacking options like Cole Palmer, Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho in search of the crucial goal that would’ve taken the tie into extra time.

But Arsenal’s defence stood firm, and their resilience ultimately paid off.

For manager Mikel Arteta, this victory won’t just be about reaching Wembley; it’s also a huge confidence booster. The Gunners are already flying in the Premier League, sitting comfortably near the top of the table, and have a strong run in the Champions League and FA Cup as well.

Now Arsenal await the winner of the other semi-final between Manchester City and Newcastle United for the March 22 final at Wembley, where they’ll be aiming to end a long wait since their last League Cup triumph in 1993.

Image credit: Sky Sports