Fleetwood Town shocked the football world by defeating Arsenal in a penalty shootout, potentially the biggest upset in League Cup history. Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, entered the match with only one loss in 11 fixtures across all competitions. Despite taking an early lead through Aaron Loupalo-Bi, Arsenal equalized via Viktor Gyökeres.
The game remained level after 90 minutes, forcing penalties. Jay Lynch saved a spot-kick from Bruno Guimarães, and Conor Haughey scored the winner. The victory sparked a pitch invasion.
The match was further complicated by a red card for 16-year-old Max Dowman and an eight-minute suspension due to a drone flying over the pitch. Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor admitted his team had not practiced penalties. This win joins a history of League Cup giant killings, including Grimsby Town's 2025 victory over Manchester United and Southend United's 2006 win over the same opponent.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing