Arsene Wenger's young guns are on the march again after Croatia striker Eduardo claimed an extra-time winner to book 10-man Arsenal's Carling Cup semi-final spot following the 3-2 win at Blackburn's expense.

Wenger typically handed opportunities to a whole team of young fringe players, and his bold selection reaped rich rewards again when Abou Diaby and Eduardo put the Gunners 2-0 ahead after 29 minutes.

Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz, a £3.6million summer recruit from Bayern Munich, pulled a goal back three minutes before the break and then headed his 11th of the season to level matters on the hour mark. But Eduardo's 104th-minute winner proved the difference.

Tensions simmered throughout the second half, culminating in Denilson's dismissal, but the first 45 minutes was all about the pace and panache of Arsenal's brilliant youngsters.

Out went the 11 established names who beat Barclays Premier League rivals Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

In came the likes of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore and Mark Randall - none of whom have even featured in the Premier League this season.

Blackburn, currently faltering in the League, struggled to cope.

The tensions which had always threatened to erupt finally boiled over in the last minute of normal time when Gunners midfielder Denilson was sent off for a challenge on David Dunn.

Wenger's young side was dealt another blow in the first period of extra time when substitute Nacer Barazite was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

But their class told again to encourage hopes of what is essentially Arsenal's reserve side reaching the final of the competition for the second year running.