>
Sunderland 2-3 Fulham: Layvin Kurzawa and Marco Silva’s decisive goal survives a late scare to set up FA Cup fifth round tie at home against Leeds
- Fulham advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup after beating Sunderland 3-2
- Harry Wilson, Andreas Pereira and Layvin Kurzawa hit the target for Fulham
- Jack Clarke and Jewison Bennette scored for Sunderland, who didn’t give up
The romantic result was a victory for Sunderland and, 50 years later, a repeat of their famous 1973 FA Cup final victory over Leeds. So much nostalgia will have to wait for the May anniversary.
Fulham manager Marco Silva was serving a penalty from the touchline and watching from the press box. It looked as though those around them might be writing a fairytale ending, as twice the young hosts came within a goal of their Premier League opponents in the last 15 minutes.
With 15-year-old schoolboy Chris Rigg substituting and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson tackling corner kicks, it had all the ingredients for a magical cup climax. It was not going to be anything but the credit of Sunderland, who fielded nine eligible starters for the Under-23s.
Silva was asked, given where he was stationed, what he would have written in his match report.
“Fulham deserved to go through,” he said. ‘Sunderland are to be congratulated on the way they played in two games. It was an epic cup tie.
Layvin Kurzawa’s goal was decisive in Fulham’s 3-2 win over Sunderland in the FA Cup
Harry Wilson celebrates after his goal put Fulham ahead in their clash against Sunderland
Wilson opened the scoring in the eighth minute during the FA Cup fifth round replay
Opposite number Tony Mowbray said: “We gave a great account of ourselves and there’s no shame in defeat.”
On a bitter night when feeling, as well as fingertips, would end up muffled by the cold, it was Harry Wilson’s warm toes that set Fulham on their way to the last 16. His first goal was his first goal in 10 months.
Sunderland goalkeeper Patterson looks like the heir to ’73 hero Jimmy Montgomery watching from the stands, but he knows he could have done better. Wilson aimed with the outside of his left boot, and while the shot had speed and spin, Patterson would have hoped to go around the post, rather than help it into the bottom corner.
The Black Cats were enjoying their best spell and Shane Duffy had just cleared away Manchester United loan Amad Diallo’s shot from the line when, at the other end, Aleksandar Mitrovic put up the easier finish for Andreas Pereira, his substitute partner, just right. before the hour. .
Sunderland’s Jack Clarke curled up beautifully on 76 minutes, but visiting defender Layvin Kurzawa restored the two-goal cushion six minutes later with a shot from point-blank range. Sunderland returned and Jewison Bennette’s smart chip in stoppage time dialed home volume once again.
Silva was right, it was an epic. But sadly, for the romantics, it was the wrong result.
Andreas Pereira is congratulated by his teammates after scoring Fulham’s second goal
Jack Clarke managed to recover a goal for Sunderland with an impressive shot
Jewison Bennette scored Sunderland’s second late goal but Fulham held on to win