Garnacho double keeps Chelsea alive but Arsenal get the better of Rosenior on his home debut
- By Yann Tear at Stamford Bridge
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Carabao Cup semi-final first leg
Chelsea (0) 2 Garnacho 57, 83
Arsenal (1) 3 White 7, Gyokeres 49, Zubimendi 71
You don't usually win a two-leg tie in the first clash, but you can often lose it and Chelsea came close to doing just that.
But a vital double from sub Alejandro Garnacho means Arsenal's advantage going into the second leg at the Emirates next month is a slender one.
The Gunners will feel that they should have been out of sight, given their overall superiority and missed chances, but there is still much work to be done to make it to Wembley.
Whisper it quietly at the Bridge, but this clash of heavyweights has not been an even contest in the past four and a half years, with the Gunners unbeaten in the last eight meetings before tonight. It has been seven and a half years since the Blues last got the better of the north Londoners on west London turf.
The league leaders made sure their latest visit was again a productive one.
The clubs met at the same stage of the competition eight years ago, with Arsenal progressing to a final they subsequently lost 3-0 to Man City. A repeat of that scenario is far from out of the question, but Arsenal must feel better equipped to meet the challenge this time, should they reach the final again.
The Gunners were in front in no time with what the statisticians flagged up as a 24th set piece goal of the campaign for Mikel Arteta's side. It was also their 18th goal from a corner. This time, it was Ben White getting his head on the end of an inswinging flag kick from Declan Rice. Ridiculous simplicity.
Liam Rosenior, animated and vigorously encouraging in his technical area looked for a response and got one. Joao Pedro wasn't far wide with a miscued shot on the turn, Estevao, found by Enzo Fernandez's fine angled pass, cut inside to sting the palms of former Blues keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal looked the more polished side though and the Blues kept getting in a muddle trying to play out from the back. A second goal almost came when William Saliba was allowed to advance to the edge of the area and lift a shot onto the roof of the net.
The need for a stronger showing from the Blues after the turn around was obvious but it was Arsenal who scored again right at the start of it. White, overlapping, took a short pass from Bukayo Saka and his low cross was somehow missed by Robert Sanchez, giving Viktor Gyokerers the easiest of tap-ins from a couple of yards out.
Chelsea were floundering but Rosenior earned his first big brownie point by bringing on Garnacho for Marc Guiu and within minutes, the Argentinian had halved the deficit - drilling in at the far post after getting on the end of a Pedro Neto cross.
Was a comeback on? Martin Zubimendi calmly sidestepped two defenders inside the box before firing firmly past Sanchez and the two-goal cushion was restored. It was a classy finish.
Arsenal sensed blood and looked in the mood to finish the job. Mikel Merino came on and his shot at the far post should have found the net and would have done but for the outstretched right foot of Sanchez, who at least went some way with that save towards making up for his earlier blunder.
The Gunners really did look to be in cruise control but late hope for Rosenior came in the shape of Garnacho once more when he was given room to thrash home at the far post again following a corner.
It looked like the Gunners had won a penalty at the death when Jesus was fouled in the box but an offside flag came to Chelsea's rescue. By the skin of their teeth, they remain in the fight.
Blues: (4-2-3-1) Sanchez - Acheampong (Badiashile 53), Fofana, Chalobah (Hato 75), Cucurella (Tosin 81) - Andrey Santos, Fernandez - Estevao, Joao Pedro (Mheuka 81), Pedro Neto - Guiu (Garnacho 53)
Gunners: (4-3-3) Arrizabalaga - White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber - Odegaard (Merino 67), Zubimendi, Rice (Havertz 82) - Saka, Gyokeres (Jesus 82), Trossard (Martinelli 67)
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