Fleetwood Town, a League Two side sitting 18th in the table, stunned Premier League champions Arsenal 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the club's history on Tuesday night. The match at Highbury saw an 84-place gap between the teams, but Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave the hosts a 21st-minute lead before Viktor Gyokeres equalised for Arsenal after the break. Arsenal's Max Dowman was sent off for kicking out following a challenge from Harrison Neal, and Fleetwood held firm to force a shootout.
Historic victory for the Cod Army
Conor Haughey scored the decisive penalty, sparking pitch invasions from fans. Goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved spot-kicks from Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Bruno Guimaraes to secure the win. Manager Matt Lawlor described it as "the biggest night in the club's history in terms of opposition coming to town." Left-back Jake Batty said the team should be "fearless" in the quarter-finals and hope for a home tie.
Contrast in fortunes
Fleetwood were relegated from League One on 20 April 2024, the same day Arsenal beat Wolves 2-0 to go top of the Premier League. The Lancashire club have won just once in their last eight league games, conceding six goals in their two matches prior to the Arsenal tie. Despite poor league form, the cup run has ignited the town, with fan Ben telling BBC Radio 5 Live it was "the best night of my life."
Lynch draws inspiration from Grimsby
Goalkeeper Jay Lynch compared the victory to Grimsby Town's win over Manchester United in the competition last season. He said the windy conditions at Highbury played into Fleetwood's hands. The club now turns its attention to a League Two match against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
