Chelsea fell 3-2 to Arsenal in the first leg of the League Cup semifinal on Wednesday, Jan. 14, with costly mistakes from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez contributing to two early goals.

The Gunners opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Sanchez failed to properly handle Declan Rice’s corner, allowing Ben White to head home from close range. Arsenal doubled their advantage four minutes after halftime when Sanchez let a cross slip through his hands, allowing Viktor Gyokeres to score from close range.

Chelsea fight back late

Chelsea responded in the 57th minute when Alejandro Garnacho converted Pedro Neto’s cross, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The momentum remained tense as Arsenal quickly restored their two-goal cushion in the 71st minute. Martin Zubimendi weaved past Andrey Santos and Wesley Fofana before finishing confidently from just inside the area, putting Arsenal ahead 3-1.

Garnacho struck again in the 83rd minute, volleying home after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s clearance fell to him. His goal gave Chelsea a lifeline heading into the second leg at Emirates Stadium on February 3, keeping the tie competitive and leaving the outcome unresolved.

Arsenal hold a narrow advantage

Despite Chelsea’s late goal, Arsenal maintain a 3-2 lead going into the second leg. Chelsea’s performance in the final stages showed resilience, but their early mistakes will be a focus ahead of the return leg.

Both sides will now prepare to settle the semifinal tie in London, with Chelsea needing to overcome the deficit while Arsenal will look to protect their advantage. The second leg promises to be a decisive showdown between the two sides and could come down to fine margins in front of a home crowd. [Xinhua]