Monumental surprise: Arsenal, eliminated by a fourth division
He Arsenalcurrent Premier League champion and European runner-up, succumbed tonight to the Fleetwood, a team from League Two (the fourth category of English football) after being eliminated in the round of 16 of the League Cup on penalties (1-1 and 5-3). It is undoubtedly a major surprise given the abysmal difference in potential between both clubs, although it was not reflected today on the pitch at Highbury Stadium.
Mikel Arteta he pulled rotations after winning on Saturday at Everton (2-0) and reach the Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, although their starting eleven was very recognizable, with Jurriën Timber, Hincapié, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Havertz and Gyökeres.
Fleetwood moves forward
Arsenal’s first half was disappointing and they were surprised in the 21st minute with a goal from Aaron Loupalo-Biwhich he received outside the area, surpassed Marli Salmon, young central defender of 17 years, and beat Illan Meslier on his way out.
fleetwood town
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arsenal
Fleetwood Town: Lynch; Rooney, Haughey, Bennett, Potter, Batty; McLean (Murphy, 66′), Neal, Helm (Cannon, 74′), Loupalo-Bi (Davies, 82′); Evans (Coughlan, 66′)
Arsenal: Meslier; Jurriën Timber (White, 46′), Mosquera, Salmon (Odegaard, 46′), Hincapié; Lewis-Skelly (Konsa, 82′), Zubimendi (Bruno Guimaraes, 82′); Dowman, Havertz, O’Neill (Eze, 66′); Gyökeres
Goals: 1-0, Loupalo-Bi (21′); 1-1, Gyökeres (50′)
Referee: Michael Salisbury. Red to Dowman (85′). Yellow for McLean (54′), Batty (74′), Cannon (86′)
Stadium: Highbury Stadium
Penalties: Coughlan, 1-0; Odegard, 1-1; Neal, 2-1; Havertz, 2-2; Davies, 3-2; Gyökeres, 3-3; Cannon, 4-3; Bruno Guimaraes, for Lynch; Haughey, 5-3
At half-time Arteta brought on Odegaard for Salmon and Ben White for Timber. Arsenal improved, took control of the game and soon tied. In the 50th minute, Ceadach O’Neill, who debuted at 18 years old In the first ‘Gunner’ team, he put a ball from the left into the area, where Gyökeres, in a fight with a defender, scored in a semi-miss.
Dowman expelled
It seemed that Arsenal were getting the tie back on track, but that was not the case. Max Dowman, their 16-year-old star, was expelled with a direct red for stepping on a rival after receiving a strong tackle. Outnumbered, the Londoners insisted in searching for the goal, which did not come as Jay Lynch, the Fleetwood goalkeeper, desperately avoiding a called goal on the line Ben White in injury time
It went directly to the penalty shootout. Fleetwood could not cope with the pressure and Coughlan, Neal, Davies, Cannon and Haughey They converted all five of their shots, beating Meslier. Odegaard, Havertz and Gyökeres did not fail either, but Bruno Guimaraes did (5-3) when Linch guesses his intention, who became the great hero of the night.
The ‘gunners’, blushing, relived the nightmare of Gabriel Magalhaes in the last Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
