Loupalo-Bi scored in the 21st minute and put Fleetwood ahead
Aaron Loupalo-Bi opened the scoring in the 21st minute at Highbury Stadium. Fleetwood then defended against an Arsenal side containing experienced internationals and reached half-time with the lead intact.
Viktor Gyokeres equalised five minutes after the break. Kai Havertz later joined the Arsenal attack, but Jay Lynch saved important efforts from Ben White and Martin Odegaard and kept the score at 1-1.
Dowman was sent off after kicking Neal
Max Dowman reacted after a tackle by Harrison Neal and kicked the Fleetwood midfielder. The referee showed a straight red card with five minutes left, so Arsenal finished the match with ten players.
Fleetwood kept players behind the ball instead of sending more attackers forward. They reached the final whistle at 1-1 and the match went directly to a penalty shoot-out.
Lynch saved Guimaraes’ penalty
Fleetwood scored with their first four kicks. Bruno Guimaraes then needed to score to keep Arsenal level, but Lynch read the attempt and made the only save of the shoot-out.
Conor Haughey converted Fleetwood’s fifth penalty to complete a 5-3 win. Before the match, Fleetwood were 84 league positions below the Premier League champions.
Fleetwood reached their first League Cup quarter-final
Arsenal had more possession, but Fleetwood kept players between the ball and their goal. Lynch then saved late efforts from White and Odegaard before the penalty shoot-out.
Mikel Arteta gave former Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier his Arsenal debut, started Viktor Gyokeres and later added Kai Havertz to the attack. Those decisions increased Arsenal’s experience on the pitch, but Fleetwood still reached the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time.