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Layvin Kurzawa’s 82nd minute volley strike fired Fulham to a 3-2 win at Sunderland in their Fourth Round replay of 2022-23 FA Cup.
Kurzawa volleyed in from a scrappy 82nd minute corner to send Fulham through to the Fifth Round, just minutes after Jack Clarke’s curled effort had pulled Sunderland back into the tie.
Harry Wilson had earlier put Fulham ahead with a well-worked eighth minute strike before Andreas Pereira doubled their lead with a close-range goal in the 59th minute from Aleksandar Mitrovic’s volleyed backpass.
Jewison Bennette meanwhile ensured a nervy finish after he smashed in from a loose header but Marco Silva’s Cottagers clung on for the win.
Fulham will host Leeds United in the Fifth Round of this season’s FA Cup on Tuesday 28 February, live on BBC One in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off.
Having found themselves frustrated in the initial tie which finished 1-1 at Craven Cottage, Fulham swiftly set about dictating this replay as they pushed Sunderland back into their own half in the opening five minutes.
Manor Solomon almost ensured that early pressure paid off as he met Shane Duffy’s sixth minute long ball into the box, only for his shot to be denied by Daniel Ballard.
Fulham nevertheless refused to relent in their attacking intensity which paid off two minutes later as a blocked free-kick was quickly recovered and worked to Carlos Vincius in the box, and the Brazilian laid off for Wilson to rifle into the near-right corner.
Sunderland attempted to respond in the 11th minute but referee, Tim Robinson waved away penalty appeals after Amad Diallo was fouled in the box.
Joao Palhinha, Solomon and Wilson thereafter saw shots denied by Sunderland goalkeeper, Anthony Patterson, as the visiting Cottagers continued to dominate the game amidst an excellent block from Duffy to deny Patrick Roberts an equalising goal for the hosts in the 19th minute.
Sunderland however finished the first half on top as they finally began to pressurise Fulham’s defence, during which Diallo saw a 33rd minute curled shot punched away by Marek Rodak only for Abdoullah Ba to fire over on the rebound.
Wilson meanwhile almost doubled Fulham’s lead in the 38th minute as he pounced upon Tosin Adarabioyo’s direct pass, only for Patterson to deny him a shot as the Cottagers clung onto their narrow lead into half-time.
Sunderland however continued to press their visitors back early in the second half but it was Fulham who created the first chance, as Cairney rifled a 52nd minute shot wide across goal from Wilson’s backward flicked lay-off pass.
Tony Mowbray’s Black Cats almost responded to that threat less than a minute later but Dan Neil rifled over from Diallo’s pullback pass.
Patrick Roberts then met Jack Clarke’s 54th minute pullback pass and wiggled into space, only for Rodak to flick his shot away via his left hand.
Roberts three minutes later teed up Diallo who cut into space and rifled into goal but Duffy was alert to make a crucial block.
That clearance ultimately saw Sunderland punished two minutes later as Cairney played substitute, Mitrovic up the pitch but the Serbian’s first shot was blocked by Patterson but he volleyed a chipped pass back into the box for Pereira to roll in from close-range to double Fulham’s lead.
Fulham three minutes later were lucky to protect their two-goal lead as Mitrovic shunted Neil to ground, only for Robinson to again ignore penalty appeals.
Both teams thereafter made various substitutions although Sunderland seemed to benefit more as substitutes, Alex Pritchard and Pierre Ekwah both wasted chances.
Fulham’s resistance however was eventually breached in the 77th minute as Jewison Bennette pulled back for Clarke, from which the ex Tottenham Hotspur player curled into the top-right corner to offer hope of a late comeback to force extra time.
Those hopes though were extingished just five minutes later as a corner fell for Mitrovic who unleashed a scrappy shot, which was blocked and cleared only for Cairney to nod it back into the box for Duffy to further head forward for Kurzawa who volleyed the visitors back into a two-goal lead.
Sunderland however refused to give up and a 90th minute free-kick found Bennette who blasted into the top left corner from a loose headed clearance.
Fulham though held on despite conceding a late corner and are now in the Fifth Round for the first time since 2016-17 season, and will now host Leeds at Craven Cottage on 28 February in an all Premier League tie.
What’s Next?
Sunderland will return to their battle for a Championship Play-Off spot with a home clash against Reading at 3pm GMT on Saturday 11 February.
Fulham face Nottingham Forest in a crucial Premier League clash at Craven Cottage in a 3pm kick-off on Saturday 11 February, as the Cottagers chase European qualification whilst Forest fight for survival.
Teams
Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Trai Hume, Danny Batth, Daniel Ballard, Aji Alese, Dan Neil (Pritchard 64′), Edouard Michut (Ekwah 72′), Patrick Roberts (O’Nien 64′), Abdoullah Ba (Rigg 79′), Jack Clarke, Amad Diallo (Bennette 72′)
Substitutes: Alex Bass, Luke O’Nien, Jewison Bennette, Alex Pritchard, Chris Rigg, Caden Kelly, Pierre Ekwah, Zak Johnson, Tom Watson
Fulham: Marek Rodak, Kenny Tete (Reid 64′), Tosin Adarabioyo, Shane Duffy, Layvin Kurzawa, Joao Palhinha (Reed 64′), Tom Cairney, Luke Harris (Pereira 45′), Harry Wilson, Carlos Vinicius (Mitrovic 45′), Manor Solomon (James 80′)
Substitutes: Bernd Leno, Antonee Robinson, Issa Diop, Harrison Reed, Andreas Pereira, Daniel James, Bobby De Cordova Reid, Willian, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Referee: Tim Robinson
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