Arsenal’s Dominance Tested in Dramatic Shootout Victory

The contest could realistically have been decided by halftime, with Arsenal relentlessly pushing forward and creating numerous chances, only to be thwarted time and again by Crystal Palace’s substitute goalkeeper, Walter Benítez. He made impressive reflex saves against Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus, and later stood firm against Eberechi Eze.

The breakthrough finally came ten minutes from the end. From a Bukayo Saka corner, Riccardo Calafiori directed a header back across the goal. William Saliba seized the opportunity amid a frantic Palace defense, leading to an own goal from defender Maxence Lacroix. This moment seemed to reward Arsenal’s dominance. However, as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta later noted, football rarely allows for such comfort when the margins are so narrow.

In deep stoppage time, Palace managed to strike with their first shot on target for the evening. From a corner, Jefferson Lerma glanced the ball down, and Marc Guehi reacted quickest, pushing it through the legs of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Following the match, Arteta expressed that his team should have secured the tie well before the final moments. He acknowledged the number of changes to the starting XI and commended the intensity and quality displayed against a well-organized opponent that typically concedes few opportunities.

“Considering the number of changes we made, the energy and quality we showed against a well-organized team that concedes few chances, we created a lot of opportunities,” Arteta remarked. “The margin should have been much bigger. When that happens, teams with quality can hurt you on set-pieces. It was emotionally tough to accept, but we stayed calm, demonstrated great composure, and performed excellently in the shootout.”

After 15 successful penalties, it was Lacroix who once again found himself in the spotlight, having his attempt saved by Kepa diving low to his right.

“I’m very happy for Kepa making the last save,” he said. “The margins should have been bigger; it should have been three or four goals, and then you’re not worried about what happened in the last minute. Winning trophies demands attention to every detail, as the margins are extremely small.”

This victory marked the fifth penalty shootout win for Arsenal under Arteta, with the club converting 47 of their last 51 attempts, achieving a remarkable 92% conversion rate, according to Opta.

Arteta emphasized the importance of winning under various circumstances. “You must win in different situations and contexts,” he stated. “We faced two very challenging games and successfully managed to secure victories. It’s a credit to the players who perform at such a high level every three days.”

Arsenal maintained 68.7% possession and registered 25 shots but failed to translate their control into a more comfortable lead. Kepa, speaking to Sky Sports, acknowledged the need for Arsenal to be more ruthless in front of goal.

“You have to stay focused and think about the next opportunity. Don’t lose your concentration because saving one shot could be decisive. We should have capitalized on some chances in the first half; we played exceptionally well. In the second half, it became more balanced, yet we still had significant opportunities. This is an area for improvement. We have conceded late goals in a few matches recently, which is something we need to focus on and rectify.”

Looking ahead, Arsenal will redirect their focus to the Premier League, hosting Brighton this weekend before welcoming Unai Emery’s Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium. Following Christmas, the schedule intensifies further, with progress in the Carabao Cup leading to a packed January calendar featuring nine matches. Arsenal will start the new year away at Bournemouth, followed by a home match against Liverpool on January 8 and an FA Cup tie against Portsmouth three days later. The month continues with a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea, along with matches against Nottingham Forest, Inter, Manchester United, Kairat, and Leeds, concluding an exhausting month.