Highbury used to be Arsenal's home. On Tuesday night, a different Highbury sent them packing.
League Two side Fleetwood Town drew 1-1 with Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, at their own Highbury Stadium. They then won the penalty shootout 5-3 to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the first time in club history. According to Sky Sports, Fleetwood came into the game just two points above the League Two relegation zone. They were a non-league club as recently as 2012.
A Drone, Then a Shock
The night got strange early. Sky Sports reported that a drone flying over the stadium stopped play for several minutes in the opening moments.
Then Fleetwood scored. In the 21st minute, Aaron Loupalo-Bi, on loan from Fulham, outmuscled 17-year-old Arsenal defender Marli Salmon and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Illan Meslier, according to The Guardian.
https://twitter.com/Carabao_Cup/status/2115227505150066839
Viktor Gyökeres equalized for Arsenal in the 50th minute. Sky Sports said it was his first goal of the season. Arsenal had 26 shots and 78% possession, according to BBC Sport, but couldn't get a second.
Red Card and Big Saves
Late in the game, 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off for kicking out at Fleetwood's Harrison Neal. On Sky Sports commentary, Andy Hinchcliffe called it "really harsh."
Asked what he said to the teenager, Mikel Arteta told reporters it was "something that we discussed already before the match," according to The Guardian.
In stoppage time, Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch made two big saves to deny Ben White and Martin Ødegaard, Sky Sports reported. That sent the game to penalties.
The Shootout
The first six penalties all went in. Fleetwood scored through Coughlan, Neal and Will Davies, and Arsenal answered with Ødegaard, Havertz and Gyökeres. Andy Cannon then put Fleetwood up 4-3.
Lynch saved Bruno Guimarães' kick. The Guardian noted that Lynch is a former warehouse worker. Conor Haughey then put the winner into the top corner.
https://twitter.com/Carabao_Cup/status/2115223697267314923
"The Biggest Night"
The Guardian reported that Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor was almost in tears at the end. A year ago, Lawlor wasn't even a manager. He never played professionally.
"The BIGGEST night in the club's history!" Lawlor told Sky Sports. He also said he lost track of the situation in the final minutes: "I actually forgot it was penalties I was preparing for extra-time with five minutes to go!"
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/2115210849149186456
Lynch summed up his night for Sky Sports in four words: "My voice is GONE!"
Arteta was less cheerful. "It's a very sad day," he told Sky Sports. On the Sky Sports studio panel, Paul Merson put it simply: "I've sat here and watched a miracle!"
Arsenal turn to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. Fleetwood get to enjoy the biggest win in their history a little longer.
