download All Football App

FA Cup: Sunderland and Fulham suffer shock fifth-round exits

  /  autty

Fulham and Sunderland were dumped out of the FA Cup in the fifth round as Port Vale and Southampton claimed surprise victories.

The biggest shock came at Vale Park, with Ben Waine scoring the only goal for League One strugglers Port Vale, who beat Sunderland 1-0. 

Sunderland had started the brighter of the two sides and almost got themselves in front in the fourth minute, but Eliezer Mayenda saw his header come back off the post. 

Black Cats goalkeeper Melker Ellborg was then forced into action in the 25th minute when Luke O'Nein's wayward backpass caught him on the back foot, but he was able to head the ball over the bar. 

But for all of the visitors' dominance, Ben Waine's 28th-minute header saw Sunderland fall behind, with the Vale forward looping the ball home after Ethon Archer's dangerous cross. 

Ellborg was fortunate not to be sent off in the second half after he brought down George Hall, but he escaped with just a yellow card. 

Mayenda and Enzo Le Fee came close late on, but the third tier's bottom club were able to hold on for a seismic victory and reach the last eight for the first time since 1953-54. 

Ross Stewart came off the bench to score a 91st-minute penalty and help Southampton to a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. 

Stewart, who sustained an Achilles injury at the same ground for Sunderland in 2023, coolly dispatched past Benjamin Lecomte from 12 yards to send Saints into the next round. 

Fulham had, however, been denied the opening goal in the 19th minute when Daniel Peretz's goal-kick struck Ryan Manning's back, which allowed Rodrigo Muniz to tuck home. 

But referee Jarred Gillett had already blown his whistle before the ball had crossed the line, adjudging that the ball was still moving when Peretz had taken the goal-kick.

The Cottagers also had a second goal disallowed in the 54th minute when the offside flag shot up against Joachim Andersen, who had teed up goalscorer Timothy Castagne. 

And Tonda Eckert's side made the most of those reprieves late on after Finn Azaz was fouled by Andersen in the box, with Stewart stepping up to score the resulting spot-kick. 

Data Debrief: Keeping the dream alive

Southampton and Port Vale produced superb displays here to remind everyone that the magic of the FA Cup was still well and truly alive, on a weekend in which Arsenal and Chelsea were both pushed hard by Mansfield Town and Wrexham, respectively.

Port Vale eliminated a Premier League opponent from the competition for the first time since the 1995-96 fourth round against Everton (after a replay), while also reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals for just the second time in their history.

Southampton, meanwhile, reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1975-76 when playing outside of the top flight. They eventually went on to lift the trophy that season.