LONDON — Arsenal was eliminated from the League Cup quarterfinals in humiliating fashion 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 giant, 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. 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 like 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 on a freezing night at Valley Parade, with Bradford having pierced Arsenal's brittle defense through Garry Thompson's fine volley following a 16th-minute free kick. A late rally saw Vermaelen head home the equalizer from close range, and Santi Cazorla fired a shot against the bar in the second half of extra time that Arsenal dominated. Bradford reinstated into FA Cup after appeal Bradford City has been reinstated into the FA Cup after successfully appealing against a decision to expel it for fielding an ineligible player, the FA said Wednesday. Bradford was expelled from this season's FA Cup after fielding on-loan Newcastle United defender Curtis Good in its second-round 1-1 draw with Brentford before it registered him. The League Two side appealed on the grounds that the punishment was too harsh and the governing body's appeal board agreed, fining Bradford 1,000 pounds ($1,600) instead. Their second-round replay with Brentford will now go ahead as planned on Dec. 18. Valencia beats Osasuna Goals by Daniel Parejo and Roberto Soldado gave Valencia a 2-0 win at Osasuna in the last-16 of the Copa del Rey Tuesday. Roma blanks Atalanta Roma beat Atalanta 3-0 in the fifth round of the Italian Cup Tuesday, despite playing most of the second half with 10 men. The capital side will meet either Udinese or Fiorentina in the next round in January after a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions. Miralem Pjanic and Pablo Osvaldo put Roma 2-0 up before the break following two howlers from Atalanta goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. Mattia Destro extended Roma's lead shortly after the interval. Ibra scores hat trick Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat trick as Paris-Saint Germain beat Valenciennes 4-0 in the French league Tuesday. Ezequiel Lavezzi added a fourth with eight minutes to go for PSG, which also hit the post. Ibrahimovic has now taken his tally to 17 in the league since arriving from AC Milan in the offseason. The Sweden striker has equaled his third best record in an entire campaign with more than half the season remaining. PSG is now provisionally two points behind Ligue 1 leader Lyon, which it meets on Sunday. Valenciennes is six points further back. Elsewhere, Nice beat nine-man Rennes 1-0. — Agencies
