Arsenal 5-1 Sunderland: Hat-trick hero Nketiah sends Gunners through to EFL Cup semi-finals

The
young
striker
continued
his
impressive
record
in
the
competition,
with
a
trio
of
poacher’s
finishes
taking
his
tally
to
10
goals
in
nine
appearances.

Nicolas
Pepe
was
also
on
target
in
the
27th
minute
for
Mikel
Arteta’s
side,
who
secured
their
first
appearance
in
the
last
four
since
2017-18,
with
the
win
capped
off
by
teenager
Charlie
Patino.

The
Gunners
did
concede
their
first
goal
of
this
season’s
EFL
Cup
courtesy
of
a
neat
Nathan
Broadhead
finish,
but
it
proved
a
mere
consolation
for
the
League
One
outfit.

With
43
places
separating
the
sides
in
the
English
football
pyramid,
Arsenal
nearly
broke
the
deadlock
in
the
12th
minute;
Nuno
Tavares’ attempted
centre
deflecting
onto
the
crossbar
off
Elliot
Embleton.

But
the
hosts
took
the
lead
five
minutes
later.
Lee
Burge
could
only
parry
Rob
Holding’s
header
from
a
Cedric
corner,
and
Nketiah
was
on
hand
to
scramble
home
the
rebound.

Folarin
Balogun
went
close
before
the
Gunners
doubled
their
advantage;
Pepe
playing
a
neat
one-two
with
Cedric
and
his
shot
deflected
in
off
Callum
Doyle.

Sunderland
responded
well
and
halved
the
deficit
following
a
quick
counter
that
culminated
in
Embleton
releasing
the
in-form
Broadhead,
who
neatly
lifted
over
the
advancing
Bernd
Leno
for
his
fifth
goal
in
four
games.

However,
Arsenal
restored
their
two-goal
buffer
within
four
minutes
of
the
restart,
Nketiah
producing
tremendous
movement
to
turn
home
Tavares’ cross
at
the
near
post.

And
the
striker
completed
his
hat-trick
in
exquisite
fashion
nine
minutes
later,
as
he
delightfully
back-heeled
Pepe’s
centre
past
a
helpless
Burge.

Patino
put
the
icing
on
the
cake
in
stoppage
time
when
the
youngster
marked
his
senior
debut
with
a
neat
first-time
finish
from
Pepe’s
centre.