Arsenal was eliminated from the League Cup quarterfinals in humiliating fashion on Tuesday, losing a penalty shootout 3-2 to fourth-tier Bradford in one of the biggest shocks in the competition for many years.
Thomas Vermaelen struck the decisive spot kick against the post for the Premier League giants, having earlier scored an 87th-minute equalizer to take the game into extra time. The match finished at 1-1 after 120 minutes, despite Arsenal fielding a near full-strength team.
"They have world-class players ... but the way the lads stuck to their job, you have to give them credit," said Bradford manager Gary Parkinson, whose side has won an English-record nine shootouts in a row.
Aston Villa joined Bradford in the semifinals by beating Norwich 4-1.
With Arsenal down in the seventh place in the league and without a trophy since 2005, manager Arsene Wenger's judgment is being questioned as never before in his 16 years at the club, and this result will give more ammunition to his critics.
The upset will rank alongside Manchester United's exit at the hands of York in the second round in 1995 and Liverpool's embarrassing defeat in a penalty shootout at home to Huddersfield in the third round in 2010.
Wenger's team failed to produce a shot on target until the 69th minute at Valley Parade, with Bradford having pierced Arsenal's brittle defence through Garry Thompson's fine volley following a 16th-minute free kick.
Bradford became the first fourth-tier team since the 2006-07 season to reach the semifinals of the competition.
