Arsenal reached the EFL Cup final with a 1-0 win over Chelsea, completing a 4-2 aggregate victory. Kai Havertz struck in the 97th minute at Emirates Stadium against the former club, sending Arsenal to Wembley.
Arsenal will now meet Manchester City or Newcastle United in the showpiece match.
The semi-final second leg was tight and cautious for long spells, very different from Arsenal's 3-2 success at Stamford Bridge 13 days earlier. Liam Rosenior organised Chelsea to defend deep and limit space. Chelsea only committed players forward late on, and that delayed ambition proved costly.
Earlier in the match, Arsenal had a penalty appeal when Wesley Fofana tangled with an opponent at a corner, but the referee allowed play to continue. Soon after, Piero Hincapie drilled a powerful left-footed effort, which Robert Sanchez pushed away. Malo Gusto then produced a crucial block to stop Gabriel Martinelli before Kepa Arrizabalaga reacted well to tip Enzo Fernandez's curling shot wide.
That early flurry faded, and Arsenal then went from the 35th minute to the 77th minute without a single attempt on goal. Groans grew around the home crowd as Chelsea gained confidence in possession. However, Chelsea still lacked precision in attack, with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez both shooting over or wide from long range rather than forcing extra time.
With the tie drifting towards full-time, Chelsea pushed numbers forward in stoppage time and left only one defender covering. Arsenal broke quickly, Declan Rice slid a pass through, and Havertz collected the ball on the counter. The forward rounded Sanchez calmly and finished into the empty net, finally deciding the contest.
WE'RE THE FAMOUS ARSENAL AND WE'RE GOING TO WEMBLEY. pic.twitter.com/6i8sjFbDgaArsenal (@Arsenal) February 3, 2026
EFL Cup semi-final: Chelsea statistics and missed opportunity
Chelsea arrived for this second leg knowing progress would match a rare EFL Cup semi-final comeback. Only Stoke City in 1971-72 and Arsenal in 1986-87 had previously overturned a first-leg home defeat in this competition. Rosenior's side waited until the final half hour to attack with real intent. Chelsea registered 14 shots overall, but only five came from inside the penalty area, and just two efforts were on target.
| Team | Shots | Shots on target | Shots inside box | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0.91 |
| Chelsea | 14 | 2 | 5 | 0.68 |
EFL Cup semi-final: Arsenal numbers and unbeaten run
Arsenal's attacking play was limited until Havertz's goal, and the hosts managed only five shots, with two on target. Their total expected goals came to 0.91, compared with Chelsea's 0.68, and 0.65 of Arsenal's figure came from the decisive strike. Arsenal are now unbeaten in 10 meetings with Chelsea in all competitions, winning seven and drawing three, their best sequence since a 17-match run from 1999 to 2004.
The match offered few clear chances, yet Arsenal managed the situation and punished Chelsea's late risk. Havertz's stoppage-time finish confirmed a 4-2 aggregate win and continued a strong recent record against Chelsea. Arsenal now prepare for another Wembley appearance, while Chelsea reflect on a cautious approach and missed opportunity.
