Kepa Arrizabalaga emerged as Arsenal’s League Cup quarter-final hero, producing the decisive save in the penalty shoot-out to cap a night to forget for Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix on Tuesday.
Lacroix had earlier turned the ball into his own net to give Arsenal the lead with 10 minutes remaining at the Emirates Stadium, only for Marc Guehi to rescue Palace with a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
That result forced a shoot-out in which both sides successfully converted their first seven penalties.
William Saliba stepped up to score Arsenal’s eighth attempt, before Kepa dived low to his right to deny Lacroix and clinch an 8-7 victory.
The moment proved redemptive for the Spanish goalkeeper, who was widely criticised for refusing to be substituted ahead of Chelsea’s League Cup final shoot-out defeat to Manchester City in 2019. Kepa also endured disappointment when he missed a penalty in Chelsea’s 2022 League Cup final shoot-out loss to Liverpool.
Arsenal will now face London rivals Chelsea in the semi-finals, played over two legs in January and February, while Manchester City meet defending champions Newcastle in the other tie.
The Gunners have reached the League Cup semi-finals for the second season in a row as they continue their pursuit of a first trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2020.
The north London club has won the League Cup just twice, with their most recent success coming in 1992-93, long before any member of the current squad had been born.
After celebrating Christmas on Thursday, Mikel Arteta’s side will refocus on the title race with home matches against Brighton and third-placed Aston Villa to round off 2025.
While Arsenal’s primary objective remains winning their first league title since 2004, capturing the League Cup in March would offer a meaningful lift for a club that has struggled for silverware in recent years.
Palace, who were heavily beaten by Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday, were playing their third match in six days due to fixture congestion caused by their involvement in the UEFA Conference League.
Arteta made eight changes from the team that defeated Everton, yet still named a strong line-up including William Saliba, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus made his first start in 345 days after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in January, having returned as a substitute earlier this month against Club Brugge.
– Kepa redemption –
One of Arteta’s changes, Noni Madueke, should have opened the scoring inside three minutes, but he fired straight at Walter Benitez after latching onto Martinelli’s pass.
Madueke was denied again when Martinelli’s clever chip found him inside the six-yard box, while Benitez produced another excellent stop to keep out Jesus’s close-range header.
Riccardo Calafiori wasted a promising chance by poking over from 10 yards, and Benitez later blocked Madueke’s fierce effort from a Myles Lewis-Skelly cross.
When Jurrien Timber headed over from close range, Arteta may have wondered whether a breakthrough would ever come.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were introduced in the second half, with Odegaard immediately influencing play by delivering a cross that Jesus nodded just wide.
Arsenal finally took the lead in the 80th minute, once again profiting from a set-piece. Saka’s corner caused confusion in the Palace box, and Lacroix, pressured by Saliba, diverted the ball past Benitez while attempting to clear.
However, Palace responded with a set-piece of their own, equalising with their first shot on target in the 95th minute. Adam Wharton’s free-kick was nodded down by Jefferson Lerma, allowing Guehi to finish from close range.
After a series of confidently taken penalties, Kepa had the final say, sealing Arsenal’s progression with a crucial save.