Fleetwood Town pulled off a stunning upset by beating Arsenal 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Carabao Cup fourth round encounter.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi scored the opening goal for the League Two side in the first half before Viktor Gyokeres equalised for the Premier League Champions shortly after the break.
However, the Gunners failed to find a winner, and the host held their nerve in the penalty shootout to knock the Premier League champions out of the competition.
The result was a huge moment for Fleetwood, who had already made history by reaching the fourth round for the first time.
The match started with an unexpected interruption when an unauthorised drone was spotted above the pitch.
Referee Michael Salisbury stopped the game, and both teams were taken off the field before play resumed after the issue was dealt with.
Once the match restarted, Arsenal enjoyed spells of possession but struggled to turn their control into clear chances.
Teenage forward Max Dowman had an early opportunity, but his effort failed to trouble goalkeeper Jay Lynch. Myles Lewis-Skelly also saw his shot blocked by Shaun Rooney as the home side defended well.
The host made their opportunity count in the 21st minute. Aaron Loupalo-Bi used his strength to get past Marli Salmon before entering the penalty area and sending a low shot across goalkeeper Illan Meslier into the net.
The goal sent the home supporters into celebration and gave them a valuable 1-0 lead. The Gunners tried to respond before half-time, but the host remained organised and protected their advantage.
The visitors went into the break needing a better attacking performance. Mikel Arteta made changes at half-time, introducing Ben White and Martin Odegaard as his team searched for an equaliser.
The changes helped them increase the pressure, and the visitors found their goal five minutes into the second half. Gyokeres scored in the 50th minute to make it 1-1, giving them a way back into the contest.
The visitors continued to push forward, but the home team refused to give up. Jay Lynch remained an important figure for the hosts as they worked hard to keep the visitors from taking control of the scoreline.
Eberechi Eze was introduced later in the second half, replacing Ceadach O’Neill, who had made his debut for Arsenal. The visitors continued to search for a winning goal, but Fleetwood’s defence stood firm.
The Gunners had several opportunities to settle the match before the final whistle. Dowman tested Lynch with a shot following a short corner, but the Fleetwood goalkeeper made the save.
The home side also threatened late in the game. Will Davies found an opportunity inside the box, but Meslier produced an important save to keep the Premier League side level.
Tensions rose in the closing stages after a challenge on Dowman. Jake Batty had already received a yellow card in the 74th minute for bringing down the young Arsenal player.
The situation became worse for the Gunners instead when Dowman was shown a straight red card in the 85th minute after lashing out during the confrontation.
Despite being reduced to ten men, they continued to look for a late winner. Ben White came close after Eze found him at the back post, but Lynch produced an excellent save.
Kai Havertz was also denied by the host goalkeeper in stoppage time, while Arsenal had a penalty appeal turned down. Neither side could find another goal, and the match finished 1-1 after five minutes of added time.
With no extra time, the match went straight to a penalty shootout. Fleetwood took the first kick and scored to put the pressure on Arsenal.
Odegaard responded for the visitors, while the home side continued to convert their attempts. Havertz and Gyökeres also scored, keeping the shootout level at 3-3 after the host had converted four penalties.
However, Bruno Guimaraes saw his penalty saved, leaving the Premier League side in danger of elimination. Fleetwood took full advantage and scored their fifth penalty to seal a memorable 5-3 shootout victory.
The encounter came to an end with the Lower League side claiming victory after penalties to make their way into next round of the EFL Carabao Cup.
The defeat was a painful result for Mikel Arteta, who had hoped to progress further after reaching last season’s Carabao Cup final.
Arteta’s team created several chances but could not find the decisive goal. For Fleetwood Town, the victory will be a night to remember.
Their disciplined defending, goalkeeper’s important saves and composure during the shootout helped them eliminate one of English football’s biggest clubs.
Fleetwood will now look forward to the next round after producing one of the competition’s biggest surprises against all odds.
