A brilliant hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus secured Arsenal a dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final, sending the Gunners through to the last four of the competition.
Former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah gave Palace an early foothold in the tie, with Jean-Philippe Mateta opening the scoring inside the first four minutes, a lead the visitors held onto going into halftime.
Softfootball reports that Jesus turned the game on its head in the second half, first levelling matters on 54 minutes before putting Arsenal ahead in the 73rd.
The Brazilian completed his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining to put Arsenal 3-1 up, though Nketiah, introduced from the bench, pulled a late goal back in the 85th minute to set up a nervy finish. Arsenal ultimately held firm to progress into the semi-finals of the competition.
The victory marked a timely return to form for Jesus, who had faced criticism over his recent lack of goals. His clinical display provided a major boost for Mikel Arteta’s side as they continue to compete on multiple fronts during a demanding period of the season.
Arsenal will now await the semi-final draw with renewed confidence, while Jesus will hope his match-winning performance serves as the catalyst for a sustained run of goals in the weeks ahead.
