[Official] Kepa: "Penalty shootouts are all about focus and mental strength."

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Kepa Arrizabalaga stepped up at the end of a marathon shootout to knock Crystal Palace out of the Carabao Cup and carry the team into the semis. Kepa dived to his right to deny Lacroix's strike, sending the Emirates into a frenzy. Post-match, he shared his thoughts:

"Thrilled to move on to the next round. We put in a massive shift. Honestly, I think we should’ve buried two more in the first half—that’s how well we played. The second half was more of a 50/50 toss-up."

"We still had our chances. We’ve been conceding late in the last few games, which is something we need to look at. But massive credit to the boys. Their penalties were clinical, keeping us alive and giving me the platform to make that save."

On facing a shootout immediately after a late equalizer: "You’ve got to stay locked in and mentally tough. Conceding at the death and going straight to pens means 100% focus on the takers—you have to stop them. I shifted my mindset, and it paid off. We prep for every possible scenario. They were a tough side; these things happen. Our keeper group is tight—we talk through everything and just focus on the very next kick."

The win sets up a semifinal clash with Kepa's parent club, Chelsea, starting away in the New Year. "To win trophies, you have to beat the best. It’ll be a massive test, but we’ll be ready to give it everything."