O’Reilly fires Man, City to Carabao Cup glory over Arsenal

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Manchester City secured the Carabao Cup title with a composed 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, as Nico O’Reilly emerged the decisive figure with a brace.

The final, played before a packed crowd, saw City assert control through discipline and efficiency, punishing key errors and capitalising on moments of opportunity against an Arsenal side that struggled to convert chances.

O’Reilly opened the scoring shortly after the hour mark, reacting swiftly to a costly mistake by Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to slot home from close range.

The goal shifted momentum firmly in City’s favour after a tightly contested opening phase.

He doubled the advantage minutes later, rising to meet a precise cross and directing a header into the net, sealing a clinical performance that Arsenal found difficult to contain.

Arsenal created several opportunities, with Gabriel Jesus hitting the crossbar and Riccardo Calafiori striking the post, but they lacked the cutting edge needed to alter the outcome.

Despite spells of pressure, Mikel Arteta’s side failed to break through a well-organised City defence.

City, managed by Pep Guardiola, remained compact and controlled throughout, limiting Arsenal’s attacking threat while managing the tempo of the game effectively.

The victory adds another domestic trophy to City’s collection and reinforces their status as one of England’s dominant sides, while Arsenal are left to reflect on missed chances in a final where fine margins proved decisive.