By: Seun Kabir
Fleetwood Town have pulled off one of the Carabao Cup’s biggest shocks, beating Premier League champions Arsenal 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium on Tuesday. The League Two side go through to the quarter-finals, which the article describes as the first time the club has reached that stage.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi put Fleetwood ahead in the 21st minute, beating teenage defender Marli Salmon before finishing past goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Viktor Gyökeres levelled five minutes into the second half with a close-range finish. Arsenal had most of the ball but couldn’t find a winner against a resolute home side. Their night got harder in the 85th minute, when 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for kicking out at Harrison Neal. That left Mikel Arteta’s team with 10 men for the closing stages, and Fleetwood held on to force penalties.
Goalkeeper Jay Lynch was a key figure in the shootout, saving Bruno Guimarães’ effort to give Fleetwood the edge. Arsenal scored through Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz and Gyökeres, but the miss proved costly. Fleetwood converted all five of their kicks, and Conor Haughey scored the one that sealed the tie and sent the home supporters into celebration.
Fleetwood will learn their quarter-final opponents once the remaining fourth-round ties are played. They reached this round by beating Sheffield United 1-0. For Arsenal, who reached last season’s final, the defeat ends their Carabao Cup run and leaves Arteta to reflect on a night when possession and pressure brought no result.
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