Fleetwood reach first Carabao Cup quarter-final after Arsenal shootout upset

Fleetwood Town reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the first time after eliminating reigning Premier League champions Arsenal on penalties on Tuesday. BBC Sport reported that the League Two side won the shootout 5-3 following a 1-1 draw, with Conor Haughey converting the spot-kick that secured their passage.

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Aaron Loupalo-Bi put Fleetwood ahead in the 21st minute before Viktor Gyokeres equalised after the interval. Arsenal were unable to find a winner, and their task became harder when 16-year-old midfielder Max Dowman received a straight red card in the 85th minute following a challenge by Harrison Neal.

Goalkeeper Jay Lynch played a central role in keeping Fleetwood in the contest. According to the BBC's match coverage, he denied Ben White and Martin Odegaard during the game before saving Bruno Guimaraes' attempt in the shootout. Supporters went on to the pitch after Haughey's successful penalty completed the upset.

Arsenal intend to appeal against Dowman's dismissal, BBC Sport reported on Wednesday. Its account said his foot made contact with Neal as he reacted to the challenge, although he did not fully kick out. The report gave no appeal outcome. Dowman was making his second start of the season and had also been sent off for England Under-19s earlier in the month.

Fleetwood's cup success came amid a difficult run in the league. They were 18th in League Two and had won only once in their previous eight league matches. Their two games immediately before facing Arsenal brought a 4-2 defeat at Cheltenham and a 2-1 loss at Exeter, making the result against the top-flight champions a sharp reversal of recent fortunes.

Manager Matt Lawlor described the occasion to Sky Sports as the club's biggest home match in terms of the opposition, according to the BBC report. He praised his players for giving the town reason to celebrate, but also reminded them that a league fixture against Bristol Rovers follows on Saturday.

Left-back Jake Batty told BBC Radio 5 Live that he hoped the atmosphere generated by the cup tie would carry over into league games. He also wanted another home draw in the quarter-finals, saying Fleetwood should not fear the opposition after securing this victory.