Alexander Isak continued his red-hot goalscoring form as Newcastle United secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. The Swedish striker netted his 14th goal in 15 games to set Newcastle on their way to a seventh consecutive win in all competitions.
Newcastle, who have never won the League Cup, are now in a strong position to reach their second final in three seasons. They will secure their place at Wembley if they avoid defeat, or lose by a single goal, in the second leg at St James’ Park on February 5th.
Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League, entered the tie as favorites but now face an uphill battle to overturn the deficit. Despite creating several chances, including hitting the post through Gabriel Martinelli and close-range headers from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, they were unable to find a breakthrough.
Isak opened the scoring for Newcastle in the first half, latching onto a long free-kick from goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and lifting a composed finish over David Raya. Anthony Gordon then doubled the visitors’ lead early in the second half, converting the rebound after Raya had parried Isak’s initial shot.
This impressive victory highlights Newcastle’s growing confidence and their ability to compete with the Premier League’s top teams. They will be confident of finishing the job in the second leg and securing a place in the final against either Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool.
The other Carabao Cup Semi-Final leg takes place on Wednesday, with Tottenham hosting Liverpool at 20:00 GMT. The final will be held at Wembley Stadium on March 16th.
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