League Two club Fleetwood Town produced one of the biggest shocks in Carabao Cup history by beating Premier League champions Arsenal 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at Highbury Stadium on Tuesday.

Teenage defender Conor Haughey scored the decisive penalty to send Fleetwood into the quarter-finals and eliminate Arsenal, who were beaten finalists in last season’s competition.

The 19-year-old Northern Ireland Under-21 international admitted he had not practised penalties before taking the final kick. Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch had earlier saved Bruno Guimaraes’ effort, giving the hosts the advantage in the shootout.

Haughey then found the top-left corner, prompting huge celebrations and a pitch invasion as Fleetwood secured a historic victory.

Fleetwood had entered the match as underdogs and were 18th in the fourth tier. The game was delayed for eight minutes shortly after kick-off when a drone hovered over the stadium, with referee Michael Salisbury eventually allowing play to restart.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made nine changes from the team that defeated Everton 2–0 on Saturday, retaining only Myles Lewis-Skelly and Viktor Gyokeres. Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera were among those brought into the starting line-up, but the visitors struggled to impose themselves.

Fleetwood took the lead in the 21st minute when Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi converted Mark Helm’s forward pass. Matt Lawlor’s side defended resolutely, making important blocks and winning challenges to frustrate Arsenal.

Loupalo-Bi held off 17-year-old defender Marli Salmon before sliding the ball beneath debutant goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Arsenal could not find an equaliser before half-time.

Arteta responded by introducing captain Martin Ødegaard and defender Ben White at the interval. Arsenal levelled in the 50th minute when Gyokeres scored his first goal of the season.

Ceadach O’Neill, making his senior Arsenal debut, cut in from the left and sent a low cross towards the far post. Gyokeres fell as he tussled with Finley Potter but still managed to turn the ball past Lynch.

Arsenal pressed for a winner, but Lynch denied Havertz from close range and Lewis-Skelly missed the target. Their frustration increased five minutes from time when Max Dowman was sent off for kicking out at Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal. Dowman had impressed in Arsenal’s 4–2 win over Ipswich Town in the previous round.

Despite playing against 10 men, Fleetwood had to withstand late pressure. Lynch made stoppage-time saves from White and Ødegaard to force the shootout, where his intervention against Guimaraes proved decisive.

Arteta congratulated Fleetwood but said Arsenal had failed to turn their chances into goals. He did not criticise his players’ attitude or application, while confirming he had not spoken to Dowman about the dismissal, despite warnings about discipline.

The defeat ends Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Carabao Cup this season and extends their wait for another triumph in a competition they last won in 1993.

Fleetwood will face Bradford City, who beat Peterborough United in another fourth-round tie, among the last eight. The remaining quarter-finalists will be decided after Wednesday and Thursday’s matches.

Lawlor described the achievement as “mental”, saying his players had dreamed of such an occasion. He praised their resilience against a club with far greater financial resources and squad depth. The result is a major milestone for Fleetwood, who have spent 15 years in the Football League.