Match ends, Arsenal 2, Blackpool 1.
01 Nov 2018
Arsenal see out late Blackpool fightback to reach quarters
Arsenal reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after surviving a late fightback from League One visitors Blackpool as both sides finished the game with 10 men.
Gunners full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner slid in his first goal since joining from Juventus before teenager Emile Smith Rowe doubled the Premier League giants' lead after half-time.
Arsenal were coasting until French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi was given a second yellow card for pulling back Jordan Thompson, leaving them facing the prospect of playing the final 35 minutes with a numerical disadvantage.
Blackpool, who are mid-table in the third tier, narrowed the gap when centre-back Paudie O'Connor headed in from a corner.
That meant the game turned into a nervier finish than it should have been for Arsenal, who fielded a much-changed side which still contained several experienced stars.
However, Blackpool were also reduced to 10 men with a few minutes left to play when O'Connor was shown a straight red card for scything down Arsenal substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
O'Connor's dismissal checked Blackpool's momentum as Arsenal stretched their unbeaten run to 13 matches under new manager Unai Emery.
- Follow all the reaction to tonight's Carabao Cup games
More to follow.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Arsenal
- 1Cech
- 12Lichtsteiner
- 20Mustafi
- 53Pleguezuelo
- 25JenkinsonBooked at 45mins
- 8Ramsey
- 29GuendouziBooked at 56mins
- 55Smith-RoweSubstituted forIwobiat 73'minutes
- 15Maitland-NilesSubstituted forTorreiraat 60'minutes
- 23WelbeckSubstituted forAubameyangat 76'minutes
- 7Mkhitaryan
Substitutes
- 11Torreira
- 14Aubameyang
- 16Holding
- 17Iwobi
- 26Martínez
- 49Nketiah
- 59Willock
Blackpool
- 1Howard
- 12NottinghamSubstituted forPritchardat 65'minutes
- 6Heneghan
- 5O'ConnorBooked at 84mins
- 27Bola
- 8Spearing
- 15Thompson
- 25GuySubstituted forO'Sullivanat 86'minutes
- 20Turton
- 24FeeneySubstituted forCullenat 79'minutes
- 7Delfouneso
Substitutes
- 9Cullen
- 11Dodoo
- 14Pritchard
- 17McLaughlin
- 18O'Sullivan
- 19Taylor
- 37Mafoumbi
- Referee:
- David Coote
- Attendance:
- 48,168
Match Stats
Home TeamArsenalAway TeamBlackpool
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away1
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away10
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 2, Blackpool 1.
Attempt blocked. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. John O'Sullivan (Blackpool) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. John O'Sullivan replaces Callum Guy.
Dismissal
Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool) is shown the red card.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool).
Foul by Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal).
Jordan Thompson (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Callum Guy (Blackpool).
Foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal).
Oliver Turton (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Mark Cullen replaces Liam Feeney.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Marc Bola.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replaces Danny Welbeck.
Attempt missed. Jordan Thompson (Blackpool) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Hand ball by Lucas Torreira (Arsenal).
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Alex Iwobi replaces Emile Smith-Rowe.
Stephan Lichtsteiner (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Liam Feeney (Blackpool).
Goal!
Goal! Arsenal 2, Blackpool 1. Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jordan Thompson with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Petr Cech.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Harry Pritchard replaces Michael Nottingham.
Attempt missed. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt blocked. Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Lucas Torreira replaces Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Attempt missed. Callum Guy (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Julio Pleguezuelo.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) for a bad foul.
Foul by Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal).
Jordan Thompson (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Marc Bola.
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Thompson (Blackpool).
Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal).
Promo & Recommendations
