Fourth tier Fleetwood Town have pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the Carabao Cup season, eliminating Premier League champions Arsenal 5-3 on penalties after a dramatic 1-1 draw in their fourth-round clash on Tuesday night.
Playing before their home fans at Highbury Stadium, Fleetwood stunned the football world by taking the lead in the 21st minute through Aaron Loupalo-Bi, exposing Arsenal’s defensive weaknesses and putting the Premier League giants under pressure.
Arsenal eventually drew level early in the second half through Viktor Gyökeres, but Mikel Arteta’s men failed to find a winner despite pushing for a late breakthrough. The Gunners suffered another setback when teenage sensation Max Dowman was sent off following an altercation with Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal.
The match went into a penalty shootout, where Fleetwood kept their composure to win 5-3. Arsenal’s Bruno Guimarães missed his kick, while Conor Haughey converted the decisive penalty to send the home supporters into wild celebrations.
The defeat ends Arsenal’s Carabao Cup campaign and marks a remarkable achievement for Fleetwood, a League Two side that had never previously faced the Gunners in a competitive match. Fleetwood now advance to the quarter-finals, turning an ordinary cup night into a historic occasion for the club
