Fleetwood stun Arsenal on penalties in EFL Cup
Arsenal's Gunners were eliminated this Tuesday from the English League Cup (EFL Cup) in the round of 16, after a 1‑1 draw against the modest club of Fleetwood and a 5‑3 defeat in the penalty shootout at Highville Stadium.
An unlikely clash
Fleetwood Town play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and hosted the Gunners at Highbury Stadium. Arsenal, Premier League champions and Champions League finalists, were clear favourites. Despite 78 % possession, the visitors did not find the back of the net until the 21st minute, when Aaron Loupalo‑Bi opened the scoring for Fleetwood. The goal came after a decisive pass from Marli Salmon, then 17 years old, who left goalkeeper Illan Meslier with no answer.
Arsenal responded quickly thanks to Viktor Gyokeres, who equalised in the 50th minute, scoring his first goal of the season. The first half saw the Gunners create numerous chances, but Fleetwood's defence held firm. Max Dowman, 16 years old, was sent off in the 85th minute, reducing Arsenal to ten men. The score remained 1‑1 until the end of regular time.
Mikel Arteta's risky rotation
Mikel Arteta had chosen to rotate his squad heavily after the 2‑0 win over Everton. He retained most of the usual starters, including Jurriën Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard. At halftime, he introduced Ødegaard in place of Marli Salmon and Ben White in place of Timber. These changes seemed to energise the Gunners, who pressed the game even more.
Fleetwood Town stun Arsenal on penalties in Cup
Despite ball domination, Arsenal's attacking accuracy was poor, with only one shot on target. Fleetwood's goalkeeper, Jay Lynch, made several crucial saves, including the one that deflected Bruno Guimarães' shot during the penalty shootout. The home defence also limited space, making the task difficult for the London attackers.
The drama of the penalty shootout
After regular time, the match went to a penalty shootout. Fleetwood converted all five of their kicks, while the Gunners missed on the fifth attempt, with Bruno Guimarães seeing his shot saved by Lynch. The final shootout result was 5‑3 in favour of Fleetwood, sealing Arsenal's elimination. The attending supporters celebrated the feat, flooding the pitch as soon as the duel ended.
The match was briefly halted in the second minute when a drone flew over the pitch, forcing the police to intervene and quickly identify the perpetrator. The suspension lasted a few minutes before play resumed.
Arsenal lose on penalties to Fleetwood Town
This defeat ends Arsenal's participation in the English League Cup this season, forcing them to focus on the pursuit of the Premier League title.