Kepa was Arsenal’s League Cup quarter-final hero in the penalty shootout

Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Spanish custodian who made the pivotal save in an 8-7 shootout victory at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, was Arsenal’s unexpected hero. The Gunners overcame Crystal Palace on penalties to go to the League Cup semi-finals.

After a close 1-1 tie in normal time, Kepa dived to his right to deny Maxence Lacroix with Palace’s eighth penalty shot, securing Arsenal’s progress and ending the French defender’s terrible evening. Late in the game, Lacroix had put the ball into his own net before his penalty was saved to end Palace’s hopes.

When Arsenal eventually broke the impasse ten minutes from time, the match seemed to be heading toward a simple home victory. After Bukayo Saka’s corner sent the Palace box into disarray, Lacroix unintentionally pushed the ball past goalkeeper Walter Benitez while under pressure from William Saliba.

But Palace didn’t give up and retaliated well into stoppage time. Jefferson Lerma headed down Adam Wharton’s free kick, and captain Marc Guehi was the first to slide in from close range, forcing penalties with the visitors’ first goal of the game.

Kepa keeps Arsenal’s League Cup dreams alive

The Premier League leaders will now face Chelsea in the League Cup last four. After Palace failed to handle an Arsenal corner, Lacroix turned the ball past his own goalkeeper, Walter Benitez, giving Arsenal, who controlled possession, the breakthrough.

In the first half, Benitez made a number of excellent saves to keep his team in the match, including two close-range stops by Noni Madueke and a header by Gabriel Jesus. After a dismal first half, Palace, the FA Cup winners, improved, but they hardly posed a danger until Guehi took advantage of a knockdown from a free kick to force penalties.

Due to a conflict with a Palace match in the UEFA Conference League, the match was postponed from last week. On Saturday, Arsenal will face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. On Sunday afternoon, Palace, now ranked ninth in the Premier League, will host Tottenham Hotspur.