Saints head coach Tonda Eckert felt he had identified ways to beat the Gunners, and his players delivered on that pre-game promise.

Shea Charles and Ross Stewart scored the goals to send Saints through to the semi-finals, and Scienza thanked them for taking their chances.

The Brazilian missed two chances to score, including a bending effort that rattled the crossbar in the second half.

“[I feel] amazing. There are no words to describe how much we fought today. It was not luck, we fought so hard, and I think we deserve it,” Scienza told TNT Sports.

Leo Scienza rattled the crossbar during Southampton’s 2-1 win over Arsenal. (Image: Stuart Martin)

“We played very well, very mature, and enjoyed the night, enjoyed the moment. But tomorrow we have to switch again because the calendar is crazy.

“We have a big focus in the season, it’s to be more than once in Wembley. They [Arsenal] are the best team in England, and one of the best in the world right now.

“But I think we did very well. We studied a lot, and we knew when to suffer in the game. We were very cold, not me, but my teammates.

“We were very cold in front of the goal to score the goals. Again, I think we deserved the win, and we’re very happy.”

He added: “In the first half, I tried to dribble the keeper. I sadly didn’t see the defender,” he explained of his first half miss.

“I didn’t see where he came from. So I was a bit relaxed, and then he just took the ball. It’s a goal that you have to score. There’s no excuse.

“In the second half, [I was] a bit unlucky, I would say. The ball may hit the post and go down, then it’s a goal. The most important action is always the next one.

“So thanks also to my teammates because they scored the goals today. Again, it was just an amazing feeling. ”