Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship outfit Southampton on Saturday, losing 2-1 at St Mary’s.
The pressure was on the Gunners to book a return to Wembley having been beaten by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final a fortnight ago, but their hopes of winning a domestic cup competition were dashed for another season in dramatic circumstances.
The hosts should have gone in front early on when a mix-up at the back for Arsenal saw Gabriel Magalhaes head a goal-kick on for Saints forward Leo Scienza to take into open space, and the winger rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga, only to dribble too far with the ball so that he was unable to actually get a shot away.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Southampton pulled ahead. A floated cross from James Bree somehow sailed over Ben White and to the feet of Ross Stewart at the back post, who finished on the half-volley to put the second-tier side in front.
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Arsenal nearly shot themselves in the foot again after the break when Cristhian Mosquera misplaced a square pass across the back, with Kepa on hand to tip over Tom Fellows’ strike. Scienza then rattled the crossbar after pinching the ball off of White.
The visitors equalised heading into the final 20 minutes as Gabriel played a great ball in for Kai Havertz to chase, and he squared for substitute Viktor Gyokeres to put into an empty net.
Moments after the electric Max Dowman had a great strike pushed behind by a stretching save from Daniel Peretz, Southampton scored the winner. Fellows ghosted inside away from the retreating Riccardo Calafiori, and the ball rolled kindly into the path of Shea Charles to curl beyond Kepa.
Arsenal threw everyone forward in search of another leveller, but they were dumped out after six minutes of stoppage time, with Southampton deservedly earning a trip to Wembley for the semi-finals.
GOAL
