English League Two side Fleetwood Town have pulled off a remarkable upset, beating Arsenal 5-3 on penalties to advance to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
The shock result ended the cup campaign of Arsenal, described in the report as English Premier League champions and 2025/26 UEFA Champions League finalists, after the fourth-round tie finished 1-1 in regulation time.
Arsenal were reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute after teenager Max Dowman received a red card, adding to the pressure on the Premier League side.
Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch emerged as one of the heroes of the night, saving Bruno Guimarães’ penalty during the shootout. The crucial save paved the way for 19-year-old Northern Ireland centre-back Conor Haughey to score the decisive spot-kick and seal Fleetwood’s memorable victory.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Lynch said Fleetwood had drawn inspiration from Grimsby Town’s shock elimination of Manchester United from the competition last season.
“My voice has gone from organising the defence. The whole team throughout the game was magnificent. To beat the English champions – credit to these lads,” Lynch said.
He added: “We took heart from Grimsby beating Man Utd last year. We kind of compared it. Amazing for the club, the town. Honestly, it means everything to everyone.”
The victory represents a major milestone for Fleetwood Town, who will now look forward to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after eliminating one of English football’s biggest clubs.
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