Kepa keeps Arsenal in cup contention

LONDON — Kepa Arrizabalaga was Arsenal's League Cup quarterfinal hero on Tuesday, making a decisive penalty shootout save that sent his side through to the semifinal and completed a miserable evening for Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.

Lacroix's own goal put Arsenal ahead with 10 minutes left at the Emirates Stadium before Marc Guehi snatched Palace's stoppage-time equalizer in the 1-1 draw.

That set the stage for a shootout in which both teams scored their first seven penalties.

William Saliba converted Arsenal's eighth kick, before Kepa dived to his right to save Lacroix's effort and secure an 8-7 victory.

It was a cathartic moment for the Spanish goalkeeper, who infamously refused to be substituted before Chelsea's League Cup final penalty shootout defeat against Manchester City in 2019. Kepa also missed a spot-kick in the Blues' 2022 League Cup final shootout loss to Liverpool.

The Gunners will play west London rival Chelsea in the two-leg semifinals in January and February, with Manchester City facing holder Newcastle in the other last-four clash.

"We generated a lot and should have scored many more goals. When you don't close the games, it can always happen that you concede,"Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said.

"We had some big individual performances. Kepa, his level of commitment with the group is just incredible.

"I think the players were so composed with the penalties, and, in the end, Kepa managed to save one. We are where we want to be."

Arsenal is into the League Cup semifinals for a second successive year as it chases its first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020.

The north London outfit has only won the League Cup twice, with its last triumph coming in 1992-93, before any of its current squad was born.

After celebrating Christmas on Thursday, Arteta's men will turn their attention back to the title race, with home games against Brighton and third-placed Aston Villa closing out 2025.