Carling Cup - Burnley upset Arsenal to reach semis

Eurosport - Wed, 03 Dec 09:55:00 2008

Burnley reached the Carling Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1983 with a 2-0 victory against Arsenal at Turf Moor.

FOOTBALL Burnley's Kevin McDonald scores against Arsenal during their Carling Cup match at Turf Moor - 0

Kevin McDonald scored both goals for the Championship side, who had goalkeeper Brian Jensen to thank for a string of fine saves to deny Arsene Wenger's young gunners.

Jensen was called on as early as the fourth minute, when he rushed out to deny Nicklas Bendtner with a sharp save when the striker was clean through.

Moments later Burnley went ahead. Former Manchester United player Chris Eagles crossed from the right and a mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski allowed McDonald to pounce on the loose ball and tap home.

Arsenal responded well, and within five minutes Bendtner once again found himself clean on goal, only to be thwarted by another piece of fine goalkeeping from Jensen.

On 35 minutes Aaron Ramsey's neat flick gave Bendtner yet another opportunity, but for the third time Jensen came out sharply and made the save.

Soon after Carlos Vela had an even better chance, but Jensen would not be beaten. The Dane was having an inspired evening and Arsenal went into the interval trailing despite having enjoyed the majority of the chances.

Owen Coyle's Burnley emerged for the second period with newfound defensive sensibilities, and Arsenal could no longer create chances at will.

The home side doubled their lead on 56 minutes, when McDonald brushed aside the attentions of Mark Randall all too easily before curling an exquisite shot beyond Fabianski with the outside of his right foot.

With that the Arsenal challenged evaporated. Wenger introduced Amaury Bischoff, Jay Simpson and Henri Lansbury, but his team could find no way past a resilient and determined opposition.

Burnley could have made it three when Robbie Blake's fine cross found Martin Paterson unmarked, but Fabianski made a sharp save to deny the forward.

The win for Burnley follows their dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against Chelsea in the previous round and leaves the Lancashire club just one win from an unlikely date at Wembley Stadium.

Will Tidey / Eurosport

Comment 43 - 62 of 122

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Im a Blackburn @#$%! Yet even I (begrudgingly) take my­ hat off to the Scummers! As for Sadie's comments­ that kick this thread off "its about youth­ training, its not an important cup & her ascerbic­ and witty reposte "its not hard to­ understand-?" I think IT IS VERY HARD TO­ UNDERSTAND! This is about English football and a cup­ that is an historically important part of that­ tradition. Its dam hard to understand why so many fans­ of the super rich clubs , the new 'must-have­ fashion accessory' of Global Billionnaires Playboys­ believe this kind of attitude is ok ? So - the­ English/British football tradition doesnt matter so­ long as the mega-million, global corporate entities­ that call themselves ' football teams' teams ­ dominate global football?
    Come to that , I cant help­ wonder why the likes of small town club supporters such­ as us (BFC/BRFC )continue spending vastly­ disproportionate amounts of our hard earned wages (­ when compared to the Prawn Butty Brigade?)to see our­ clubs. Maybe ts time we conceded that English football­ is not the proud tradition it once was and left the­ overpaid, celebrity thrill seekers ( both on and off­ the pitch,) to get on with it?

    From Lesley, on Wed 3 Dec 12:14AM

  2. @#$% u wenger,u fill u're too big to be sack,every­ other team use there best players but u choose to do­ this every year.ur cup is full now.atleast, carling cup­ would hv been our consolation dis season..........

    From chrislewis0000, on Wed 3 Dec 12:09AM

  3. Get a grip you fools who belittle Burnley, or rubbish­ Arsenal's desire for this tournament. The fact is­ this. Burnley scored with their chances and deserve the­ win. Bentley just is not good enough at the top level­ and has been found out time and time again. Those­ chances should not have been missed. And finally, these­ youngsters of Arsenal scored 9 goals in the last 2­ rounds, 3 against prmeiership opposition without reply.­ BUT, Burnley is a team of seasoned professionals too­ and these young kids need to learn that professional­ football is not easy, and though they thing they are­ the finished article and better than the rest, they are­ in reality far from it and there are many players in­ this country who are as good, better, or simply more­ effective. I am an Arsenal fan through and throughm but­ personally am delighted that our kids were finally­ taken to school. They need this lesson on order to­ learn humility and in order to concentrate on being­ better and not falsely believing they are god's­ gift to football, which they clearly are far from.­ Fact!

    From parkesy22, on Wed 3 Dec 12:05AM

  4. well done burnley whupped arsole wengers ar-e.

    From Frank, on Wed 3 Dec 12:03AM

  5. ok im a JUVENTUS fan, but i dont get it, arsenal kicked­ MAN UD and CHELSEA 'S @#$% and lost to ordinary­ teams? liverpool will win the premiership this year,­ nodoubt abt it. peace and love everyone.

    From alexdelbaggio, on Tue 2 Dec 11:53PM

  6. OH GREAT!

    OH WELL, WE CAN'T FIGHT THE FIFA BOARD­ OVER THAT!

    From Ripster, on Tue 2 Dec 11:44PM

  7. Those criticising arsene(arsenal) represent everything­ that's wrong with english football. when they play­ well it's great but when they lose, AW should have­ used the 1st team. what kind of message does that­ send? They need to go to places like this and play hard­ matches, that's how you learn, not from winning! Is­ using a group of youngsters who are eager to impress­ and give everything they got disrespectful of the cup?­ i don't think so, lining up 1st-teamers who­ don't feel like playing, that's disrespectful.­ The problem in England lies in the academies, the­ mentality and the ideas and perceptions of football. AW­ understands how it works and if people fail to see that­ and keep blaming foreigners for their own failings,­ it'll only get worse.
    You think it's­ coincidence that you only have 3 world class­ players(terry, gerrard,rooney(and he is­ underperforming))? Lampard, Cole etc may be­ england's top, but nowhere near the world top. U­ think it's coincidence that the most talented­ players(british and foreign) are at arsenal?
    Think­ twice before you drop these ignorant narrow-minded­ comments.

    From s_derna, on Tue 2 Dec 11:42PM

  8. I'm not a Burnley fan but fair play to them for­ their giant Killing so far in the Carling Cup. Well­ done!

    From mad yoke!, on Tue 2 Dec 11:41PM

  9. Were bigger than London!

    From D, on Tue 2 Dec 11:35PM

  10. im sick of arsenal fans saying "it was only d­ carling cup, at least it wasnt the CL or­ premiership." coz as far as i can see the carling­ cup is the only realistic chance of silverwear for­ arsenal for the forseeable future @#$%il wenger gets­ his act together anyway) UNITED FOR THE SEXTUPLE­ 08/09!!!!

    From joebourke2001, on Tue 2 Dec 11:28PM

  11. well done burnley!!1
    If arsenal claim to be a great­ team they better start showing a bit more respect to­ the cups.

    if you are truely a great team you would be­ out trying to win everything!!!!!

    THFC

    From matthewpack, on Tue 2 Dec 11:28PM

  12. Well thats going to shut the p1$$ takeing gooners fans­ up up

    From U R SOLES, on Tue 2 Dec 11:25PM

  13. WELL DONE OWEN COYLE - ALWAYS THOUGHT UD BE A GOOD­ MANAGER AND UR A GOOD HOOPS FAN TO BEAT! MON BURNLEY­ HOPE U WIN THE CUP

    From williamsmith799, on Tue 2 Dec 11:24PM

  14. all you @#$% supporters who criticise wenger are out of­ order. we;ve seen burnley play well tonight and expose­ some of our youngsters. better to see that now than­ later. hope wenger can see bendtner for what he is. as­ for burnley, die hard supporters have filled their­ stadium for the first time this season, really hardcore­ then. but fairplay to the team who deserved their win.

    From a.foster374, on Tue 2 Dec 11:22PM

  15. Well done Burnley and it just proves how grit and­ determination can achieve so much. To beat Chelsea and­ Arsenal in successive rounds is fantastic. It makes you­ wonder why some of the seemingly poorer teams in the­ Premiership cannot adopt a similar system when playing­ them.

    From WILLIAM, on Tue 2 Dec 11:20PM

  16. As an Arsenal fan I have to say it " Well Done­ Burnley!"
    Ok it was our juniors but take nothing­ away from Burnley 2-0 and a Keeper from Hell!!
    Come on­ Burnley make the win count.. Go all the­ way.
    Disappointed but accepting Arsenal fan

    From Joe, on Tue 2 Dec 11:20PM

  17. Tha carling cup is NOT important. to arsenal there are­ 2 tournies that are important. champions league and­ premiership....... they use these games to train their­ youth side. its not hard to understand.

    From sadie s, on Tue 2 Dec 11:16PM

  18. I'd just like to say to all people who claim the­ carling cup is not important it is very important. You­ are only saying it's not important because you were­ kicked out. It gives top teams the chance to show how­ good their reserve's and youngsters really are.­ Thats my opinion anyway well done Burnley, unlucky­ Arsenal but should have done better.

    From Andy H, on Tue 2 Dec 11:12PM

  19. At least Chelsea took it to Penalties which is mostly­ luck with the outcome! But the Gooners were whipped !! ­ hehe Burnley for the Cup!!

    From Tim, on Tue 2 Dec 11:06PM

  20. At the end of the day Burnley out played the Arsenal­ & are through to the semi-finals. You came to Turf­ Moor with a bunch of kids & got what you deserved.­ If you disrespect a cup that's what happens. Up the­ Clarets & maybe will achieve something that Arsenal­ don't, we may win a cup!! !

    From Richard, on Tue 2 Dec 11:04PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account