Fleetwood Town Beats Arsenal in Penalties to Reach Carabao Cup Quarterfinals

Fleetwood Town, an 18th place League Two team, eliminated the reigning Premier League champions from the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. The hosts advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Arsenal in a penalty shootout at Highbury.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi put Fleetwood ahead in the 21st minute. Viktor Gyokeres equalized for Arsenal in the second half. The match remained level until the shootout, where Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch made three saves against Ben White, Martin Odegaard, and Bruno Guimaraes.

Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor called the victory the biggest night in the club's history. He noted that his team faced the champions with 83 places separating the sides in the league table. Lawlor said he told his players to enjoy the win before facing Bristol Rovers in a league match on Saturday.

Left-back Jake Batty attributed the performance to a surge of energy in cup competitions. He stated that the team has not been playing well in the league, having won only once in their last eight games. Batty said the group wants to replicate that momentum in upcoming league fixtures.

Fleetwood had conceded six goals in the two matches prior to the tie. They lost 4-2 to Cheltenham and 2-1 to Exeter. Batty said the team is not known as a big club in League Two but hopes to bring the same intensity to their Saturday match.

Goalkeeper Jay Lynch credited the windy conditions at Highbury for helping his team. He compared the night to Grimsby's win over Manchester United last season. Lynch said his voice was hoarse from organizing the defense during the match.

The result marks the first time Fleetwood has reached the Carabao Cup quarterfinals since joining the English Football League in 2012. Batty said the team should be fearless and hopes to host their next tie at home.

One fan, Ben, who has followed the club for 15 years, described the night as the best of his life. He said he received about 500 messages in the half hour following the final kick.

Fleetwood's last relegation was confirmed on April 20, 2024. That same day, Arsenal beat Wolves 2-0 at Molineux to take the lead in the Premier League. Arsenal won the title two years later.