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**Karl** · January 31, 2007, 08:44 PM

RE: Carling Cup Semi-Final: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (agg 5-3)

<DIV class=newsml-title>Aliadiere sends Arsenal into League Cup final</DIV><DIV class=newsml-body><DIV>(Adds Wenger quote)</DIV><DIV>By Trevor Huggins</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - French striker Jeremie Aliadiere fired Arsenal to a 3-1 extra-time victory over arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday and a place in next month's League Cup final against Chelsea.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Arsenal, who drew 2-2 in last week's semi-final, first leg, completed a 5-3 aggregate win after Aliadiere struck on the stroke of halftime in extra time and a Tomas Rosicky shot found its way in off Spurs defender Pascal Chimbonda.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor looked to have won the north London derby for Arsenal with a 77th-minute strike, only for Egypt striker Mido to head Spurs an 85th-minute equaliser just five minutes after coming off the bench.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Arsenal will meet the Premier League champions for an all-London final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Feb. 25.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>"When Spurs came back to 1-1 of course we needed to be mentally strong," A¦rsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.</DIV><DIV>"We were wobbling a little bit for a few minutes, then in extra time it was all us," he told Sky Sports.</DIV><DIV>"The experience of (substitute midfielder Cesc) Fabregas was the key, he gave us more security to keep the ball."</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>The hosts, starting out with another largely second-string side for this competition, were rewarded for an attacking performance at the Emirates Stadium that kept Spurs under pressure for long perionds.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Both sides squandered golden early chances, with Spurs striker Robbie Keane put clean through by a long ball but failing to beat the outrushing keeper Manuel Almunia.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Arsenal defender Kolo Toure fluffed an easy follow-up two minutes later after Spurs' England keeper Paul Robinson could only parry a shot from busy 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Denilson.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Despite the pressure, Spurs defended with real grit and might have snatched the lead when French midfielder Steed Malbranque rose to meet Hossam Ghaly's cross from the right with a powerful header that flew just wide.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>HIGH TEMPO</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>There was no let-up in the tempo after the re-start, with Arsenal dominating but teenage winger Theo Walcott failing to make the most of his pace and being replaced on 65 minutes by Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Adebayor broke the deadlock in the 77th minute in the wake of a fine snap shot by Rosicky. Arsenal returned to the attack, Rosicky picked up possession and dinked the ball through for Adebayor to run in and steer past Robinson.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Spurs levelled when Denilson conceded a free kick, England mifielder Jermaine Jenas curled the ball over and Mido rose highest to send a glancing header past a stranded Almunia.</DIV><DIV>Mido nearly settled it minutes later with a shot from the edge of the area which just missed the left-hand post, but the tie soon headed into extra time.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Spurs had finished strongly but extra time was more balanced and swung Arsenal's way in the 105th minute. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Spurs substitute defender Ricardo Rocha tried to clear with a diving header, the ball ran for Aliadiere and the Frenchman drilled a low shot past Robinson.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Arsenal finished the job when Rosicky's turn and shot hit the woodwork and the luckless Chimbonda knocked the ball over the line as he tried to clear.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Victory sealed the hosts' trip to Cardiff and extended an unbeaten record against Spurs in all competitions since 1999 to 17 games. </DIV></DIV>

**Karl** · January 31, 2007, 08:50 PM

RE: Carling Cup Semi-Final: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (agg 5-3)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (agg 5-3) </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><DIV class=mvb><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=416 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom><DIV class=mvb><SPAN class=byl>By Sam Lyon </SPAN></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</DIV>

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> <DIV class=cap>Aliadiere salutes Arsenal's crucial second at the Emirates</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Jeremie Aliadiere smashed home in extra time to finally break Spurs' resistance and help fire Arsenal to a Carling Cup final place against rivals Chelsea.

The Gunners dominated a lively tie and took the lead when Emmanuel Adebayor slipped in Tomas Rosicky's pass neatly.

Spurs sent the game into extra time against the odds when Mido headed in.

But Arsenal sealed a 5-3 aggregate win when Aliadiere got onto Ricardo Rocha's slip and Pascal Chimbonda's unfortunate own goal ruined Spurs' comeback hopes.

<DIV class=avinline>It was a remarkable end to an absorbing encounter as the Gunners denied Spurs' attempts at a smash-and-grab victory to reach their first League Cup final under Arsene Wenger. </DIV>

Things got off to an ominous start for the visitors when news fed through that Aaron Lennon had been dropped after suffering through illness all day.

But any suggestion that his omission might upset the visitors was dispelled early on as they started the affair in vigorous fashion, enjoying the early possession and zipping into tackles.

One such challenge saw Phillipe Senderos leave the field to have stitches in a head wound and Arsenal's rearguard were opened up for the first time minutes later, Jenas sending Keane clear on goal, only for the Irishman's tame finish to be saved by Almunia.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sib606><DIV class=sihf></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

However, if Tottenham needed any reminding of Arsenal's threat after the first leg, it came on 15 minutes, Paul Robinson spilling Denilson's 20-yard shot and Kolo Toure somehow screwing wide with the goal gaping.

Ironically, that seemed to settle the hosts' nerves and, with Theo Walcott to the fore, they began to carve open the Spurs defence.

The young England international should have set Adebayor up for a simple finish when he broke free down the right but failed to beat the first defender, and then his fine free-kick forced Anthony Gardner into a desperate clearance with Abou Diaby looming.

Spurs' defence was holding together adequately in the face of continued Arsenal pressure, but, after Aliadiere had fired across goal and wide on the turn, Diaby and Adebayor went close with long-range efforts that flew over.

Steed Malbranque went close with a diving header from Hossam Ghaly's cross for Spurs, and the game entered half time with the score, and match, even.

An ugly flare-up between Ghaly and Diaby ensured the second half got off to a fiery start but, despite an increase in tempo from both sides, it was Arsenal that continued to dominate possession.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> <DIV class=cap>Adebayor slots in the op

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Carling Cup Semi-Final: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (agg 5-3)

Carling Cup Semi-Final: Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham (agg 5-3)

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