LEAGUE TWO FLEETWOOD shocked Premier League champions Arsenal in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw.
Bruno Guimaraes saw his spot-kick saved by Jay Lynch before Northern Ireland U21 international Conor Haughey lashed home an emphatic penalty to spark a pitch invasion at Highbury Stadium as Fleetwood triumphed 5-3 in one of the greatest upsets in the competition’s history.
Fleetwood, 18th in League Two, dared to dream after Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi put them in front after 21 minutes against a much-changed Arsenal side struggling to find any fluidity on the Fylde coast.
The half-time introduction of Martin Odegaard changed the game as the Gunners looked much improved after the break, drawing level in the 50th minute when Viktor Gyokeres just about managed to turn in his first goal of the season.
But as Arsenal turned up the heat without reward, their frustration boiled over as their teenage prodigy Max Dowman was sent off with five minutes left to play.
RED CARD for Max Dowman! 🟥 https://t.co/wq4EvRIScm
There was still time for Lynch to make huge saves from Ben White and Odegaard before it went to a shoot-out.
Ronan Coughlan got Fleetwood, who are managed by former Waterford interim boss Matt Lawlor, off the mark and they were perfect from there to secure a historic win.
Advertisement
Ronan Coughlan scores the first penalty. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The biggest fixture since Fleetwood arrived in the Football League 15 years ago was heralded by pre-match fireworks but play was halted barely a minute after kick-off as a drone hovered over the stadium, causing a delay of around eight minutes before referee Michael Salisbury was happy to get going again.
Mikel Arteta made nine changes from Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gyokeres the only survivors but this was still a strong side including the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera.
"The BIGGEST night in the club's history!" ✨
Matt Lawlor reacts to Fleetwood Town knocking Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup! 😍 https://t.co/SC23uLJUZw
Fleetwood did not shirk the challenge, throwing themselves in front of the ball and making big blocks as they defended in numbers, denying Arsenal a clear sight of goal until Dowman, star of their 4-2 win over Ipswich in the previous round, dragged wide.
Fleetwood Town's Adam Murphy kicks the ball over Arsenal's Piero Hincapie. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
A minute later, Fleetwood were in dreamland. Mark Helm lifted the ball forward for Loupalo-Bi to run through, showing strength and determination to hold off 17-year-old Marli Salmon before rolling it under Arsenal’s debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Arsenal, last year’s beaten finalists who last won this competition back in 1993, were slow to respond and lacked fluidity before the half-time introduction of Odegaard alongside Ben White. It had the desired impact as they levelled less than five minutes later.
The lively Ceadach O’Neill, the Northern Ireland international making his first senior appearance for the Gunners, cut inside from the left and curled a low cross to the back post, where Gyokeres fell as he tussled with Finley Potter but still did enough to slip the ball beyond Lynch.
Viktor Gyokeres celebrates his goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The chances were now piling up. Havertz was denied by Lynch from point-blank range before Lewis-Skelly and Havertz missed the target.
Arsenal’s growing frustration boiled over with five minutes left as Dowman kicked out at Harrison Neal and saw red.
As the match moved into stoppage time Lynch somehow kept out strikes from White and Odegaard to force the shootout on a night that would belong to the Cod Army.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
8 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Coughlan nets penalty as Arsenal stunned by fourth-tier Fleetwood in League Cup shoot-out
Fleetwood Town 1
Arsenal 1
Fleetwood Town win 5-3 on penalties
LEAGUE TWO FLEETWOOD shocked Premier League champions Arsenal in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw.
Bruno Guimaraes saw his spot-kick saved by Jay Lynch before Northern Ireland U21 international Conor Haughey lashed home an emphatic penalty to spark a pitch invasion at Highbury Stadium as Fleetwood triumphed 5-3 in one of the greatest upsets in the competition’s history.
Fleetwood, 18th in League Two, dared to dream after Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi put them in front after 21 minutes against a much-changed Arsenal side struggling to find any fluidity on the Fylde coast.
The half-time introduction of Martin Odegaard changed the game as the Gunners looked much improved after the break, drawing level in the 50th minute when Viktor Gyokeres just about managed to turn in his first goal of the season.
But as Arsenal turned up the heat without reward, their frustration boiled over as their teenage prodigy Max Dowman was sent off with five minutes left to play.
There was still time for Lynch to make huge saves from Ben White and Odegaard before it went to a shoot-out.
Ronan Coughlan got Fleetwood, who are managed by former Waterford interim boss Matt Lawlor, off the mark and they were perfect from there to secure a historic win.
The biggest fixture since Fleetwood arrived in the Football League 15 years ago was heralded by pre-match fireworks but play was halted barely a minute after kick-off as a drone hovered over the stadium, causing a delay of around eight minutes before referee Michael Salisbury was happy to get going again.
Mikel Arteta made nine changes from Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gyokeres the only survivors but this was still a strong side including the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera.
Fleetwood did not shirk the challenge, throwing themselves in front of the ball and making big blocks as they defended in numbers, denying Arsenal a clear sight of goal until Dowman, star of their 4-2 win over Ipswich in the previous round, dragged wide.
A minute later, Fleetwood were in dreamland. Mark Helm lifted the ball forward for Loupalo-Bi to run through, showing strength and determination to hold off 17-year-old Marli Salmon before rolling it under Arsenal’s debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Arsenal, last year’s beaten finalists who last won this competition back in 1993, were slow to respond and lacked fluidity before the half-time introduction of Odegaard alongside Ben White. It had the desired impact as they levelled less than five minutes later.
The lively Ceadach O’Neill, the Northern Ireland international making his first senior appearance for the Gunners, cut inside from the left and curled a low cross to the back post, where Gyokeres fell as he tussled with Finley Potter but still did enough to slip the ball beyond Lynch.
The chances were now piling up. Havertz was denied by Lynch from point-blank range before Lewis-Skelly and Havertz missed the target.
Arsenal’s growing frustration boiled over with five minutes left as Dowman kicked out at Harrison Neal and saw red.
As the match moved into stoppage time Lynch somehow kept out strikes from White and Odegaard to force the shootout on a night that would belong to the Cod Army.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Cupset League Cup Soccer