LONDON - Arsenal scraped into the English League Cup soccer semifinals today but needed a penalty shootout to get past third division Doncaster Rovers after the teams had drawn 2-2 following extra time.
Home side Doncaster seemed set to continue a giant-killing run that had already accounted for Premier League
Manchester City and Aston Villa when they led 2-1 with 120 minutes on the clock.
But Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva scored in extra-time injury time and Arsenal, fielding a largely second-string team, then comfortably won the shootout 3-1.
The victory earned them a semifinal meeting with Wigan Athletic, who secured their first major last four appearance by beating Bolton Wanderers 2-0 yesterday.
In today's other quarterfinal Paul Dickov's 90th-minute goal earned Blackburn Rovers a 1-0 win at 2004 League Cup winners Middlesbrough.
In the semifinals they will play Manchester United, who won 3-1 at Birmingham City on Tuesday.
Arsenal were stunned in the fourth minute when Michael McIndoe slipped through to beat goalkeeper Manuel Almunia at the near post.
An injury that ended Robin van Persie's involvement after half an hour added to Arsenal's frustration.
Almunia made two good saves early in the second half and Arsenal were looking increasingly desperate. They found a fortunate way back into the game with a deflected shot by Quincy Owusu-Abeyie in the 63rd minute.
Doncaster, who returned to the Football League two years ago following their relegation to the Conference in 1998, had captain Stephen Foster to thank in extra time when cleared a Sebastian Larsson shot off the line.
Senderos then made a terrible hash of trying to clear a McIndoe cross, allowing substitute Paul Green to slide in and put Doncaster back in front in the 104th minute.
It looked enough until Gilberto converted a low cross by Emmanuel Eboue and the late blow seamed to knock the heart out of the third division players as Almunia saved twice and watched a third home penalty hit the post.
Wednesday's other tie was a dour affair endured by a sparse Riverside crowd.
Blackburn should have had it wrapped up long before the end and deservedly got the win when Dickov redirected a Shefki Kuqi shot.
There was still time for Boro striker Massimo Maccarone to hit a post but it would have been an unjust equaliser.
- REUTERS
LONDON - Arsenal scraped into the English League Cup soccer semifinals today but needed a penalty shootout to get past third division Doncaster Rovers after the teams had drawn 2-2 following extra time.
Home side Doncaster seemed set to continue a giant-killing run that had already accounted for Premier League
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