Arsenal crash out of FA Cup
FA Cup holders Arsenal were sensationally dumped out of the competition by Nottingham Forest on Sunday, joining Leeds United as big-name casualties on a day of shocks.
Elsewhere, West Ham stayed alive with a goalless draw at Shrewsbury and Tottenham scored three goals in eight second-half minutes to see off the challenge of League One side AFC Wimbledon.
Championship side Forest revived memories of their glory years under Brian Clough, putting 13-times winners Arsenal to the sword in an incident-packed 4-2 win at the City Ground.
“It was good. My wife told me that if I score a hattrick at any point this year then I get a dog, so I was trying to get the penalty,” said two-goal hero Eric Lichaj.
“Vaughany (David Vaughan) told me politely – I won’t say what he said to me – to go away.”
US international Lichaj opened the scoring for the home side with a header midway through the first half but Per Mertesacker equalised for the much-changed away team just three minutes later.
However, Forest continued to probe an inexperienced Arsenal line-up and got their reward just before halftime when Lichaj volleyed in spectacularly from the edge of the box.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, serving a touchline ban, was forced to watch powerless from the stands as Rob Holding conceded a penalty that teenager Ben Brereton converted in the 64th minute to stretch the home side’s lead to 3-1.
Danny Welbeck gave Arsenal hope with just over 10 minutes to go but Kieran Dowell netted from the penalty spot again to seal a 4-2 win for the second-tier side over the Premier League visitors.
In a breathless final few minutes Forest’s Joe Worrall was sent off but it was too late for Arsenal. — SuperSport