Fulham lose longest penalty shootout in League Cup history as Premier League side crash out to Championship club Preston in third round after THIRTY-FOUR spot-kicks

Championship Preston North End knocked out Fulham on Tuesday night after the longest penalty shoot-out in League Cup history.

With the 31st spot-kick of the evening, Preston skipper Ryan Ledson held his nerve after Timothy Castagne blazed over from twelve yards, to send Paul Heckingbottom’s side through to the fourth round of the competition with a 16-15 victory on penalties.

‘As soon as he (Castagne) missed, I knew I was going to score and it was time to get home really,’ joked Ledson. ‘I want Liverpool away (next round). All the lads are buzzing after that,’ Ledson added.

‘I’ve never been to Anfield so I’d take that,’ said Heckingbottom. ‘The standard of the penalties was unreal. As it wore on, it made me even more determined to win it.’

Fulham boss Marco Silva changed his entire team for the trip to Lancashire, with a first start handed to Reiss Nelson while Heckingbottom made eight changes of his own.

Fulham manager Marco Silva changed his entire team for the trip to Deepdale in Lancashire

Similarly, Paul Heckingbottom’s North End side featured eight changes from the weekend

The home side took the lead in the first half thanks to a brilliant finish by Ledson but Fulham got a deserved equaliser on the hour mark through Nelson.

Silva turned to his bench, making five attacking changes in a bid to get a winner but Preston held firm before triumphing in a crazy shootout, where 31 of the 34 penalties were converted successfully. ‘I felt we showed enough to win the game,’ said Silva, whose side reached the semi-final of the competition last season.