LONDON, KOMPAS.com - Arsenal akan menantang Manchester City pada final Piala Liga Inggris atau Carabao Cup. Klub berjulukan The Gunners itu lolos setelah menang 2-1 pada semifinal kedua di Stadion Emirates, Rabu (24/1/2018 atau Kamis dini hari WIB.
Arsenal menang berkat gol bunuh diri Antonio Ruediger (12') dan tendangan Granit Xhaka (60'), sedangkan Chelsea sempat unggul lewat Eden Hazard pada menit ke-7. Pasukan Arsene Wenger itu melangkah ke final dengan keunggulan agregat 2-1.
Pada laga final, Arsenal telah ditunggu Manchester City yang telah lebih dulu lolos sehari sebelumnya. Final akan dilangsungkan di Stadion Wembley pada 25 Februari.
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Berdasarkan pantauan BolaSport.com , Arsenal memang tampil sedikit lebih mendominasi. Mereka memimpin penguasaan bola dengan 51 persen.
Dari segi peluang, The Gunners memiliki 11. Semenatara itu, Chelsea mempunyai 12 kesempatan.
Mengambil insiatif serangan sejak awal pertandingan, Chelsea langsung mengemas gol pada menit ke-7.
Melalui proses serangan balik cepat, Eden Hazard, yang menerima umpan terobosan dari Pedro Rodriguez, dengan lihai melepaskan tendangan kaki kiri terukur di dalam kotak penalti Arsenal.
Sepakan Hazard tak dapat dihalau oleh kiper Arsenal, David Ospina.
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Tersengat dengan gol Chelsea, Arsenal balas mengancam.
Bermula dari umpan silang yang dikirim Mesut Oezil pada menit ke-12, Nacho Monreal dengan mantap menyundul bola.
Bola hasil tandukan Monreal sempat mengenai dua pemain The Blues, Marcos Alonso dan Antonio Ruediger sebelum akhirnya bersarang di gawang Willy Caballero.
Memasuki babak kedua, Arsenal tampil lebih atraktif.
The Gunners akhirnya berhasil membalikkan kedudukan menjadi 2-1 pada menit ke-60.
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Granit Xhaka, yang berdiri di dalam kotak penalti, sukses memaksimalkan kemelut di depan gawang Chelsea dengan sontekan.
Berselang 11 menit, Arsenal nyaris membukukan gol ketiga andai Caballero tak cekatan menepis sepakan Alex Iwobi dari dalam kotak terlarang.
Skor 2-1 untuk pasukan Arsene Wenger tetap tidak berubah hingga peluit panjang dibunyikan. (Septian Tambunan)
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (Antonio Ruediger 12'-bd, Granit Xhaka 60' ; Eden Hazard 7')
Arsenal (4-3-3): 13-David Ospina; 18-Nacho Monreal, 20-Shkodran Mustafi, 6-Laurent Koscielny, 24-Hector Bellerin; 29-Granit Xhaka, 35-Mohamed Elneny, 10-Jack Wilshere; 17-Alex Iwobi (8-Aaron Ramsey 84'), 9-Alexandre Lacazette (31-Sead Kolasinac 84'), 11-Mesut Oezil
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): 1-Willy Caballero; 2-Antonio Ruediger, 27-Andreas Christensen, 28-Cesar Azpilicueta; 3-Marcos Alonso, 14-Tiemoue Bakayoko, 7-N'Golo Kante, 15-Victor Moses (21-Davide Zappacosta 72'); 11-Pedro (23-Michy Batshuayi 65'), 22-Willian (8-Ross Barkley 30'); 10-Eden Hazard
KOMPAS.com - Pemain anyar Arsenal , Henrikh Mkhitaryan, mengungkap kekagumannya terhadap playmaker The Gunners, Mesut Oezil .
Henrikh Mkhitaryan resmi pindah ke Arsenal dari Manchester United, Senin (22/1/2018), lewat sebuah kesepakatan pertukaran pemain dengan Alexis Sanchez.
Pemain asal Armenia ini kemungkinan besar belum akan memainkan debutnya saat Arsenal bertemu Chelsea pada leg kedua semifinal Piala Liga Inggris di Stadion Emirates, Kamis (25/1/2018).
Hal ini terjadi karena larangan bermain di Piala Liga Inggris akibat sang gelandang sebelumnya telah memperkuat Manchester United.
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Mantan pemain Borussia Dortmund ini sendiri berharap segera bisa tampil bersama The Gunners meskipun debutnya harus tertunda.
"Di sini, di Arsenal, saya tahu bahwa pemain harus banyak bergerak dan sangat luar biasa cara mereka bermain. Saya akan melakukan yang terbaik untuk membantu mereka juga," kata Mkhitaryan dilansir BolaSport.com dari situs resmi Arsenal.
AFP/Glyn Kirk Mesut Oezil mencoba melepas tembakan ke arah gawang lawan pada pertandingan Premier League antara Arsenal dan Newcastle United di Stadion Emirates, Sabtu (16/12/2017).
Mkhitaryan juga mengungkapkan sangat senang bergabung dengan Arsenal karena bisa bermain dengan Mesut Oezil.
Menurut gelandang 29 tahun ini, Oezil adalah salah satu pemain yang dia kagumi karena kecerdasaannya.
"Saya pikir akan sangat menyenangkan bermain bersama Oezil. Semua orang tahu dia pemain yang fantastis, dia adalah raja assist , saya menantikan bermain bersamanya," kata Mkhitaryan.
"Saya mengagumi kecerdasannya, cara dia bisa memahami permainan, dan cara dia memberi kecepatan pada permainan dan tentu bagaimana dia membuat keputusan akhir," ucapnya.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan kemungkinan besar baru akan bermain bersama Mesut Oezil saat The Gunners bertandang ke markas Swansea City pada pekan ke-25 Liga Inggris, Rabu (31/1/2018). (Putra Rusdi Kurniawan)
There is a post-Alexis Sánchez liberation to Arsenal who showed the character, belief and a new-found togetherness to come from behind and defeat Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final.
Having cursed their misfortune throughout the draining Sánchez saga, before he finally departed for Manchester United, Arsenal benefited from two huge slices of luck to win this semi-final.
Oh no, Antonio. Not just Antonio Conte – with the Chelsea head coach a study in frustration on the touchline – but his defender Antonio Rudiger who scored an own goal and then with another hapless intervention deflected the ball into the path of Granit Xhaka so the midfielder could poke home the winner on the hour. Both were pinball goals, the ball ricocheting around the Chelsea penalty area before finding the net.
For Arsène Wenger this was the sweetest of victories, gained also through a smart tactical switch at half-time – when Chelsea were dominant – as he reverted to a three-man defence, pushing Mohamed Elneny back from midfield. Chelsea failed to cope.
That Xhaka and Elneny, often so maligned by the home fans, were two of Arsenal’s most impressive performers – along, again, with Jack Wilshere - will have been all the more satisfying for Wenger who has now set up a Wembley showpiece for a 10th time in under four years. And Wenger has won on all those previous nine visits.
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Chelsea player ratings by Oliver Harbord of Football.London
Willy Caballero
Could do nothing about the opening two goals where really he was let down by his defence and both efforts were from close range. Didn’t really have many problems with crosses from the match and made a superb stop to deny Alex Iwobi. 6
Cesar Azpilicueta
Maybe was caught a bit cold for Xhaka’s goal, but could have been more that Bakayoko let him go. A couple of nice crosses in, but not the most dominating performance that he has had. 5
Andreas Christensen
Did pretty well during the night, however would have been disappointed to let Alexandre Lacazette get the ball in for the second goal. Was given a little run around by the striker, although he couldn’t get the goal. 5
(Image: REUTERS)
Antonio Rudiger
He got a goal and an assist tonight, but unfortunately for the wrong team. Couldn’t really do much for either as the ball cannoned off him, however not a great night for the German international. 4
Victor Moses
Started the game brightly and looked to get down the right wing well. However, drastically faded as the match went on and picked up a yellow card for a pretty horrible challenge on Alex Iwobi. 5
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Marcos Alonso
Grew into the game as it went on, but even though he saw more of the ball he never really did a great amount with it. A dreadful free-kick summed up his night. 5
Tiemoue Bakayoko
Was probably his strongest game for a while and was good defensively and with the ball. Made some nice passes out to the wings and tried to prevent the Gunners from really getting forward. 7
N’Golo Kante
Again not his most dominant game, which has been the case in the last couple of matches. Looked a little frustrated out there. 5
Willian
As been in really good form recently and started brightly. Real shame to see him hobble off though with a suspecting hamstring problem. 5
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Eden Hazard
The only one to really show that sort of spark to get Chelsea back into the game and took his goal really well. However, the burden was too much on his shoulders and he couldn’t carry Chelsea through. 7
Pedro
Looked bright at first and had the ball in the back of the net, but was offside when really he should have kept himself in line of the defence. Really faded in the second half and no surprise when he was subbed off. 5
Substitutes
Ross Barkley
Was given a welcome back on his debut with a late challenge from Jack Wilshere, and certainly looked a little rusty at first. Got into the game more as it went on, but looked way off match fitness. 6
Michy Batshuayi
Didn’t do enough to affect the game. 5
Davide Zappacosta
Didn’t provide much else down the right. 5
