Sports News
Fourth-tier Fleetwood knock champions Arsenal out of the League Cup on penalties
League Two side Fleetwood Town knocked Premier League champions Arsenal out of the League Cup in the fourth round on Tuesday, drawing 1-1 and winning 5-3 on penalties, The Japan Times reports. It called the upset one of the darkest days in the club's history.
Al Jazeera set out how it happened. Aaron Loupalo-Bi gave Fleetwood the lead in the 21st minute after a mistake by Marli Salmon. Viktor Gyokeres equalised soon after half-time. Arsenal's 16-year-old Max Dowman was sent off in the 85th minute for kicking out at Harrison Neal. In the shoot-out, goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved from Bruno Guimaraes and Conor Haughey scored the winner. Fleetwood had started the night 18th in League Two.
Al Jazeera also listed Arsenal's previous cup shocks, including the 2012 penalty defeat by fourth-tier Bradford and the 1992 FA Cup loss to Wrexham.
BBC Sport went to the winning dressing room. Fleetwood manager Matt Lawlor could not hide his delight at beating what he called the “best team in the country”.
How each outlet framed it
- The Japan Times — the Arsenal side: Mikel Arteta lamenting a “very sad day”.
- Al Jazeera — the match in detail, the red card and a list of Arsenal's past giant-killings.
- BBC Sport — the underdog: a delighted Fleetwood manager.
What we don't know yet: how Arteta will handle 16-year-old Dowman after his red card, and who Fleetwood will draw in the quarter-finals.