LONDON: Southampton became the first non Premier League club to reach the quarter-finals of this season’s FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at Fulham that was sealed by a late penalty on Sunday.
The game looked as though it was heading for extra time when Finn Azaz was brought down in the area by Joachim Andersen and substitute Ross Stewart converted from the spot.
It was no more than Championship side Southampton deserved as they made the better chances, including one for Azaz that was brilliantly saved by Fulham keeper Benjamin Lecomte who had earlier done well to deny Tom Fellows.
Their players wore a yellow commemorative kit to mark 50 years since they wore the same shirts when Bobby Stokes’ sealed the nsecond-tier Southampton’s shock 1976 FA Cup final win against Manchester United at Wembley.
Southampton join a powerful-looking quartet already through to the last eight with Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in the hat for the quarter-finals.
On Saturday, Chelsea battled past 10-man Wrexham and moved into the last eight after a 4-2 win but only after a mighty scare against the second-tier side, who twice took the lead at the Racecourse Ground.
Hollywood-owned Wrexham, watched by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, went ahead through Sam Smith but the visitors drew level courtesy of an own goal shortly before half-time.
In a breathless second period, Callum Doyle put the Welsh team back ahead again in the 78th minute, only for Josh Acheampong to equalise four minutes later.
The game changed complexion when Wrexham midfielder George Dobson was sent off in stoppage time and Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho volleyed home in the first period of extra time before substitute Joao Pedro’s late strike added gloss to the scoreline.Meanwhile on Saturday, Manchester City shrugged off 10 changes to their starting line-up to crush Newcastle United 3-1 and reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The home side began strongly at St James’ Park and took a deserved lead when Harvey Barnes finished smartly after being found by Sandro Tonali.
City were level in the 39th minute in bizarre fashion when Jeremy Doku’s dangerous ball behind the defence ran all the way to Savinho.
The Brazilian stood still and appeared to let the ball bounce off his leg into the net.
Soon after the restart City completed the turnaround when Omar Marmoush smashed the ball into the roof of the goal from close range.
The Egyptian forward then thundered home his second in the 65th minute to put his team in total control.
Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2026
