MX23RW : Friday, April 26 21:07:32| >> :60:110:110:
[monks data]
Attendance: 59,016
Arsenal logo
EFL Cup | Quarter-Finals
Dec 19, 2018 at 7.45pm UK
 
Spurs logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Heung-min (20'), Alli (59')

Tottenham Hotspur secure North London derby bragging rights to reach semi-finals

Tottenham Hotspur reach the semi-finals of the EFL Cup at the expense of their North London rivals Arsenal courtesy of a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur have reached the semi-finals of the EFL Cup for the first time since 2014-15 courtesy of a 2-0 victory over North London rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this evening.

Dele Alli scored one and created the other for Son Heung-min as Spurs gained local bragging rights and kept their hopes of winning a first trophy since 2008 alive.

Arsenal had their chances and hit the woodwork three times in total, but Mauricio Pochettino's side gained swift revenge for their Premier League derby defeat just 17 days ago as last season's runners-up crash out in the last eight.

Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli celebrates scoring against Arsenal in their EFL Cup quarter-final on December 19, 2018© Reuters

Spurs dominated possession in the opening 20 minutes of the game, but it was Arsenal who created the better chances before the deadlock was broken and they could have taken the lead inside two minutes.

Granit Xhaka - once again playing at centre-back - delivered a corner to the near post for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose glancing header flashed across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Aaron Ramsey - making his 350th appearance for Arsenal - then exchanged passes with Alex Iwobi before firing wide, but Spurs soon began to take an element of control over the game and Christian Eriksen and Alli both missed half-chances in quick succession.

Arsenal should have taken the lead against the run of play after only 12 minutes, though, as Mkhitaryan played a slick one-two with Ramsey to leave him one on one with Paulo Gazzaniga, only to put his finish too close to the keeper after trying to give him the eyes.

It proved to be a costly miss as Tottenham's growing pressure eventually told after 20 minutes when Alli released Son, who showed Mkhitaryan how it should have been done with a confident finish past Petr Cech.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates opening the scoring against Arsenal in their EFL Cup quarter-final on December 19, 2018© Reuters

A hitherto quiet Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang dragged one effort wide as Arsenal looked for a response, but Spurs could have doubled their advantage when they once again hit the Gunners on the break as Eriksen, Kieran Trippier and Moussa Sissoko exchanged passes before the latter blazed his finish over the top when he should have done better.

The hosts soon began to increase their own pressure, though, and it took a smart reaction save from Gazzaniga to deny Ramsey a stunning goal when he saw his cushioned first-time volley turned against the post.

Arsenal ended the half on top and should have equalised moments later when Ramsey's deep cross was met by a towering header from Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who could only plant his effort wide of the far post.

The Gunners could not carry that momentum into the second half and Eriksen stung the palms of Cech with a free kick 10 minutes after the restart, before Spurs got the all-important second goal just before the hour mark.

Harry Kane - on as a substitute just one minute earlier - was afforded the time and space to collect the ball on the halfway line, turn and lift his pass through to Alli, who supplied an exquisite finish by flicking the ball over Cech.

Tottenham Hotspur duo Dele Alli and Son Heung-min celebrate their goal against Arsenal on December 19, 2018© Reuters

Arsenal almost provided an instant response when Alexandre Lacazette - himself only just on as a sub too - nudged Aubameyang's cut-back towards goal, only to see it bobble against the outside of the post on its way behind.

Spurs did a good job of managing the game after their second goal, though, and the closest Arsenal came to pulling one back was a mis-hit Aubameyang cross from the left which grazed the crossbar.

There was an unsavoury moment at one stage when Alli was struck by an object thrown by an Arsenal supporter, but Spurs were rarely flustered and Eriksen almost added a third with a powerful drive which needed to be turned over by Cech.

Arsenal never looked like mounting a comeback in the closing stages as Tottenham comfortably saw out the win - just their second ever triumph at the Emirates Stadium - ensuring that their name is in the semi-final draw alongside holders Manchester City, Chelsea and surprise package Burton Albion.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Cech; Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Xhaka, Monreal; Guendouzi (Nketiah 65'), Torreira; Mkhitaryan (Koscielny 46'), Ramsey, Iwobi (Lacazette 58'); Aubameyang

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Trippier, Alderweireld, Davies, Rose; Sissoko, Winks; Lucas (Kane 58'), Alli, Eriksen; Son (Lamela 79')

ID:344673: cacheID:344673:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8802:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates Arsenal's second goal against Tottenham Hotspur on December 2, 2018
Read Next:
Combined XI: Arsenal vs. Spurs
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Bublik
Carballes Baena
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
11.30am
Altmaier
Fils
11.30am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
11.30am
Alexandrova
Krueger
11.30am
Bucsa
Kasatkina
11.30am
Dolehide
Kalinina
11.30am
Jimenez Kasintseva
Paolini
11.30am
Linette
Sabalenka
1pm
Baez
Van Assche
1pm
Hurkacz
Draper
1pm
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
1pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
1pm
Kostyuk
Sherif
2pm
Zheng
Putintseva
2.30pm
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
2.30pm
Darderi
Fritz
2.30pm
Boulter
Montgomery
3pm
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
3.30pm
Vondrousova
Rogers
4pm
Griekspoor
Daniel
4pm
Munar
Struff
5pm
Navone
Rune
7pm
Coric
Zverev
8.30pm
Collins
Danilovic
11.30am
Shang
Davidovich Fokina
Tables header RHS


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!