Chelsea vs Arsenal as it happened – EFL Cup semi-final first leg
All the action from goalless draw at Stamford Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea host London rivals Arsenal as the two teams face off in the EFL Cup semi-finals. The 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium last Wednesday was a compelling contest so let's hope for more of the same at Stamford Bridge this evening in the first leg.
Arsene Wenger continues his three-match touchline ban at Stamford Bridge having served the first game of his suspension during Arsenal’s 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Complaints about referees landed the Frenchman in hot water, but he’ll be delighted to know VAR is being used in both legs of this semi-final.
Alexis Sanchez begins the game on the bench while Alex Iwobi starts despite his partying antics last week. Eden Hazard starts for Chelsea, and new signing Ross Barkley is still on his way back from a hamstring injury.
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20' - Granit Xhaka produces the most entertaining moment of the match so far as he tries to beat Thibaut Courtois from 30 yards with a free-kick but barely gets his shot off the ground and hits the wall.
Vintage stuff.
22' - Chance for Arsenal!
Alexandre Lacazette gets in behind the Chelsea defence and is played in expertly by Jack Wilshere. However, the Frenchman, with just Thibaut Courtois to beat, snatches at his shot and lashes the ball over the crossbar.
24' - David Ospina spills Victor Moses' left-footed shot from inside the area but the Arsenal goalkeeper manages to gather the ball at the second time of asking with Cesc Fabregas ready to pounce.
28' - Victor Moses capitalises on an Ainsley Maitland-Niles slip down Chelsea's right wing and fires another left-footed shot in at David Ospina's goal. This time the Arsenal goalkeeper does well to make a smart stop down to his left.
32' - Shkodran Mustafi rises highest to meet Granit Xhaka's corner but the Arsenal defender sends his header well over Thibaut Courtois' crossbar.
37' - Cesc Fabregas squares a 30-yard free-kick to N'Golo Kante, who slices a first-time shot well over the crossbar.
Chelsea have been the better team in this first half but they're yet to have a chance as good as the one Alexandre Lacazette spurned for Arsenal in the 22nd minute.
39' - Martin Atkinson signals for some VAR help after Ainsley Maitland-Niles goes down in the box under a challenge from Victor Moses... and after getting a second opinion he sticks to his original decision not to award a penalty to Arsenal.
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