FLEETWOOD (The Thursday Times) — Fleetwood Town, sitting 18th in League Two, knocked Premier League champions Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, winning a last-16 penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in one of the biggest upsets English cup football has produced.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi put the hosts ahead after 21 minutes at Highbury Stadium, and Viktor Gyokeres levelled for Arsenal after the break. Mikel Arteta’s side had 26 shots and 78 per cent of the ball, according to the BBC, but could not find a winner. Goalkeeper Jay Lynch then saved penalties from Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Bruno Guimaraes before Conor Haughey scored the decisive kick, sending Fleetwood into the quarter-finals for the first time and fans pouring onto the pitch.
Dowman red and a drone delay
Arsenal’s night soured when 16-year-old winger Max Dowman was sent off for reacting to a heavy challenge from Harrison Neal, the first red card of his senior career. Arteta was seen speaking angrily to the teenager as he left the pitch and said afterwards it was “something that we discussed already before the match”. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson said on Sky Sports that he would have put an arm round the youngster instead.
The tie had already been halted for more than eight minutes in the second minute when a drone was flown over the stadium. Referee Michael Salisbury stopped play until it left, and Sky’s commentator said police had located the operator. Seven minutes were added to the first half.
‘Biggest night in the club’s history’
“The biggest night in the club’s history in terms of opposition coming to town and we’ve managed to beat the champions,” Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor told Sky Sports. Lynch compared it with Grimsby’s win over Manchester United in the same competition last season. Arteta, who fielded an experimental side, congratulated Fleetwood and called it “a very sad day” for his club. Fleetwood, who had lost their previous two league games, host Bristol Rovers in League Two on Saturday.
