Arsenal’s hunt for silverware remains alive by the thinnest of margins after a night of raw drama at the Emirates Stadium, where a tense 1–1 draw with Crystal Palace was settled by a nerve-shredding penalty shootout that the Gunners eventually won 8–7.
What initially looked like a routine 1–0 victory turned into chaos in the dying moments, forcing a marathon shootout that tested the composure of every player on the pitch.
For much of the 90 minutes, Mikel Arteta’s side controlled possession and dictated the tempo, but lacked the clinical edge to turn dominance into goals. Wave after wave of Arsenal pressure was repelled by a disciplined Palace defence, keeping the contest finely balanced.
The breakthrough finally arrived when Bukayo Saka’s corner caused havoc in the Palace penalty area. In the scramble that followed, defender Maxence Lacroix inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net, sending the Emirates into celebration and seemingly putting Arsenal on course for victory.
However, just as the home crowd began to savour the moment, Palace struck back in dramatic fashion. Deep into stoppage time, captain Marc Guéhi reacted quickest in the box to prod home a stunning equaliser, silencing the stadium and forcing the contest into penalties.
The shootout was relentless. Both teams converted kick after kick, with no hint of nerves as the sequence stretched on. It was not until the 16th penalty that the decisive moment arrived, when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga rose to the occasion, diving low to make the crucial save and finally tilt the contest in Arsenal’s favour.
The victory keeps Arsenal’s cup ambitions alive, but the performance served as a reminder of the fine margins at this stage of the competition. For Arteta and his players, it was survival rather than comfort — and on a night of high drama, that proved just enough.
