Fleetwood Town produced the shock of the season on Tuesday night, knocking Premier League champions Arsenal out of the EFL Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium, according to NBC Sports’ League Cup results and match reports.
The League Two side, 18th in the fourth tier and playing in front of just 5,327 fans, beat Arsenal 5-4 in the shootout after the Gunners had a man sent off late in normal time.
A dream start for Fleetwood
Fleetwood took a shock lead in the 21st minute when a defensive error involving 17-year-old Marli Salmon allowed Aaron Loupalo-Bi, a 20-year-old on loan from Fulham, to muscle his way through and slot a low finish past Arsenal debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Arsenal dominated possession but struggled for a breakthrough in the first half. Manager Mikel Arteta responded by introducing captain Martin Odegaard and defender Ben White at half-time, and the changes had an immediate impact, with Viktor Gyokeres levelling five minutes into the second half.
Red card and shootout drama
Arsenal pushed for a winner, out-shooting Fleetwood 15-2 in the second half, but their hopes were damaged in the 85th minute when 16-year-old prodigy Max Dowman was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after kicking out at Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal.
With the score locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the tie went directly to penalties. Fleetwood converted all five spot-kicks, goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved from Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes in the fourth round, and Conor Haughey dispatched the winning penalty as fans streamed onto the pitch.
A night for the ages
For Fleetwood, it is one of the greatest results in the club’s history — a fourth-tier team knocking out the Premier League champions. For Arsenal, it is a humbling exit from a competition they would have expected to win, and questions will follow about the team selection and discipline on a wild night in Lancashire.
