Fleetwood knock Arsenal out of League Cup on penalties

Fourth-tier Fleetwood Town knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup on Tuesday, winning a fourth-round penalty shoot-out at Highbury Stadium after a 1-1 draw. Jay Lynch saved Bruno Guimaraes’ spot-kick before Conor Haughey scored the decisive penalty in the 5-3 shoot-out result.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi had given Fleetwood a first-half lead, but Viktor Gyokeres equalised soon after the interval. Arsenal finished with 10 players after 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for violent conduct in the 85th minute.

Fleetwood seize their chance

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made nine changes from the side that beat Everton 2-0 on Saturday, with only Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gyokeres retaining their places. Dowman and Marli Salmon started, while 18-year-old winger Ceadach O’Neill made his debut.

The match began after an eight-minute delay caused by an unauthorised drone over the stadium. Fleetwood, who were 18th in League Two and had lost their previous two league games, took the lead in the 21st minute when Loupalo-Bi got past Salmon and finished low beyond debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Arsenal had much of the possession after falling behind but struggled to create a breakthrough before half-time. Arteta introduced Martin Odegaard at the interval, and Gyokeres levelled five minutes later, poking in O’Neill’s ball from close range after a tussle with his marker.

Fleetwood held on as the tie reached its closing stages. Dowman was dismissed for kicking out at Harrison Neal following a challenge by the Fleetwood midfielder, leaving Arsenal a player short for the remainder of normal time.

Arsenal exit before Liverpool trip

The result ended Arsenal’s League Cup campaign before Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool. Arteta’s side had gone into the tie having won 11 of their previous 13 games and had moved level on points with league leaders Manchester City after beating Everton.

For Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor and his players, the victory came at a 5,327-capacity ground that shares its name with Arsenal’s former home. Lawlor was in tears after the shoot-out as supporters came onto the pitch to celebrate.

Arsenal have previously lost a League Cup penalty shoot-out to fourth-tier Bradford in 2012. This time, Fleetwood’s first-half lead, Lynch’s shoot-out save and Haughey’s final kick combined to send the Premier League champions out.