Fourth-tier Fleetwood Town have eliminated Arsenal from the Carabao Cup after winning 5–3 on penalties following a 1–1 draw in their fourth-round encounter on Tuesday night.
The League Two side secured the historic victory at Highbury Stadium, booking their first-ever place in the competition’s quarter-finals at the expense of the reigning Premier League champions.
Fleetwood took a surprise lead in the 21st minute through Aaron Loupalo-Bi, who beat Arsenal defender Marli Salmon before firing past goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Arsenal responded shortly after the restart when Viktor Gyökeres found the net to restore parity. Despite creating several opportunities to secure victory before the final whistle, Mikel Arteta’s side failed to find a second goal.
The visitors’ challenge became more difficult when 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off late in the match following an altercation with Fleetwood midfielder Harrison Neal.
With neither side able to break the deadlock, the tie proceeded to a penalty shootout. Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved Bruno Guimarães’ spot-kick before Conor Haughey converted the decisive penalty to seal a 5–3 victory.
The result sparked celebrations among Fleetwood supporters and ended Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Carabao Cup this season.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta congratulated Fleetwood on their progression, describing the defeat as a disappointing day for his team while acknowledging that his players had failed to turn their chances into goals.
Fleetwood will now await their opponents in the quarter-finals, having recorded one of the most remarkable results of this season’s competition.
