Arsenal entered the game proactively and created great pressure right from the first minutes. "The Gunners" continuously had chances, notably the shots of Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, but were all excellently saved by goalkeeper James Trafford. Meanwhile, Man City played patiently, controlled the ball and waited for counter-attack opportunities.
The first half was quite balanced, but Arsenal created more dangerous situations. However, the lack of sharpness in finishing made it impossible for them to convert the advantage into a goal. Piero Hincapie's headers or set pieces were not effective.
The turning point of the match came in the second half. In the 60th minute, Kepa Arrizabalaga's mistake created conditions for Nico O'Reilly to easily open the score for Man City. Just 4 minutes later, this midfielder completed a double with a close-range header after Matheus Nunes' accurate cross, increasing the score to 2-0.
Being led by two goals, Arsenal was forced to push up the squad. Mikel Arteta successively brought Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli onto the field to increase attacking power. "The Gunners" created many dangerous opportunities, including Jesus's header hitting the crossbar and Riccardo Calafiori's shot hitting the post.
However, Man City's solid defense and the stable form of goalkeeper Trafford helped them stand firm. In the final minutes, Arsenal put all their strength into it but could not penetrate the opponent's net.
In the end, Man City won 2-0, thereby winning the Carabao Cup 2025-2026 championship. The bravery and coldness of Pep Guardiola's team created the difference, while Arsenal had to pay the price for mistakes and wasting opportunities.
