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Port Vale and Southampton both progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals with narrow 1-0 wins, sending Sunderland and Fulham out in the fifth round. The League One side and the Championship club each relied on single decisive goals, with Ben Waine and Ross Stewart converting key chances to extend their cup campaigns.

These results kept lower-ranked clubs firmly involved in the FA Cup, on a weekend when bigger names were already under pressure. Arsenal needed to work hard against Mansfield Town, while Chelsea were stretched by Wrexham, underscoring how Premier League teams faced stubborn resistance across the round.

Port Vale’s victory over Sunderland stood out as the most dramatic story of the evening, given the league positions of both sides. Port Vale sat at the bottom of the third tier, yet held on against sustained pressure. The win sent the Valiants into the last eight for the first time since the 1953-54 campaign.

The breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute, following earlier dominance from Sunderland. Ethon Archer delivered a teasing cross from the flank, and Ben Waine reacted first. The forward guided a looping header beyond goalkeeper Melker Ellborg, giving Port Vale a lead that the League One club then protected with committed defending.

Sunderland had actually come close to scoring in the fourth minute, when Eliezer Mayenda met a cross with a firm header. The effort beat the goalkeeper but came back off the post. The visitors looked in control for long spells, yet they were punished for not taking that early chance.

Another nervous moment for Sunderland arrived in the 25th minute, following a misjudged backpass from Luke O’Nein. The ball surprised Ellborg, who had to recover quickly and headed over his own bar. Later, Ellborg brought down George Hall after the interval but received only a yellow card, avoiding dismissal.

Port Vale then had to withstand pressure late in the tie, as Sunderland pushed hard for an equaliser. Mayenda threatened again, and Enzo Le Fee also went close in the closing stages. However, Port Vale’s defence stayed organised, allowing the club to eliminate a Premier League opponent for the first time since beating Everton in the 1995-96 fourth round after a replay.

At Craven Cottage, Southampton also advanced with a late 1-0 success against Fulham. Substitute Ross Stewart struck a 91st-minute penalty to secure the result. Stewart placed his kick past Benjamin Lecomte from 12 yards, sealing the tie and sending Southampton into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The moment carried extra weight for Stewart, who had suffered an Achilles injury at the same stadium in 2023 while playing for Sunderland. This time, Stewart left with a decisive contribution. The spot-kick followed a foul on Finn Azaz by Joachim Andersen inside the area, which referee Jarred Gillett penalised.

Fulham had felt frustrated long before the late penalty. In the 19th minute, Daniel Peretz’s goal-kick hit Ryan Manning’s back, dropping kindly for Rodrigo Muniz, who finished. However, Jarred Gillett had already stopped play, ruling that the ball was still moving when Peretz took the kick, so the strike did not stand.

The hosts thought they had scored again in the 54th minute, only for the offside flag to intervene. Joachim Andersen was judged offside before setting up Timothy Castagne, who had put the ball in the net. That call denied Fulham a second time, and Tonda Eckert’s Southampton side later capitalised with the decisive penalty.

FA Cup records for Port Vale and Southampton

Both clubs also achieved notable historical markers with these results. Port Vale reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in the club’s history, having last achieved this stage in 1953-54. Southampton progressed to the last eight for the first time since 1975-76 when playing outside the top flight.

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That 1975-76 season proved special for Southampton, as the club went on to lift the FA Cup. Port Vale’s achievement echoed that type of progress, underlining how this competition continues to produce significant stories. The latest fifth-round ties again highlighted how teams from lower divisions can still shape the tournament’s later stages.

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