29.10.2026 14:16
In the English League Cup, Premier League reigning champion Arsenal bid farewell to the cup after losing 5-3 on penalties to fourth-tier team Fleetwood Town. In the opening minutes of the match, referee Michael Salisbury stopped play due to a drone seen above the stadium. In the match, which was interrupted for about 8 minutes, it drew attention that the players were called off the pitch.
In the round of 16 of the English League Cup, Fleetwood Town and Arsenal faced each other. In just the 2nd minute of the match, an unauthorized drone flying over the stadium was spotted.
The match referee Michael Salisbury stopped play for security reasons. After speaking with both teams' coaching staff and stadium officials, the referee asked the players to leave the field.
MATCH PAUSED FOR 8 MINUTES
In the match, which was stopped for about 8 minutes due to the drone, security guards and police teams intervened. Meanwhile, the players continued passing among themselves to warm up in the cold weather. After the drone moved away from the stadium area, the match resumed from where it had left off.
HUGE SHOCK FOR ARSENAL FROM A FOURTH-TIER TEAM
Fleetwood Town took the lead with Aaron Loupalo-Bi's goal in the 21st minute of the match and finished the first half 1-0 ahead. Arsenal equalized with a goal scored by Viktor Gyökeres in the 50th minute. As no other goals were scored in the remaining minutes, the match ended 1-1, and the team advancing to the next round was decided by penalty shootout.
16-YEAR-OLD PLAYER RECEIVES RED CARD
Young Arsenal player Max Dowman started the match in the starting eleven. However, the 16-year-old player received a red card in the final part of the match due to his challenge on his opponent, leaving his team with 10 men. Head coach Mikel Arteta also gave young players such as Ceadach O'Neill and Marli Salmon a chance to play in the match.
HISTORIC ELIMINATION IN PENALTIES
In the penalty shootout, Fleetwood Town goalkeeper Jay Lynch saved the shot of Bruno Guimaraes, who was wearing an Arsenal shirt. Conor Haughey, who took the final penalty for the home team, sent the ball into the net and secured the next round for his team. Fleetwood Town won 5-3 on penalties, advancing to the quarter-finals of the English League Cup for the first time in its history, while Arsenal bid farewell to the tournament.