Port Vale, Southampton stun Premier League opponents in FA Cup

March 09, 2026

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Port Vale’s Ben Waine (second right) scores his side’s first goal of the game, during the FA Cup fifth-round soccer match against Sunderland in Stoke on Trent, England, on Sunday.

This season's FA Cup just keeps on delivering shocks.

Third-tier Port Vale pulled off a massive upset on Sunday by beating Premier League Sunderland 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the historic competition. That was after Championship side Southampton knocked out another top-flight team with a 1-0 win against Fulham.

Port Vale are bottom of League One and 57 places below Sunderland. But the West Midlands team booked their place alongside giants Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea in the last eight courtesy of Ben Waine's looping first half header.

It was the latest giant-killing in a season that already saw sixth-tier Macclesfield eliminate titleholders Crystal Palace in what was officially the biggest upset in FA Cup history.

Port Vale - the lowest ranked team left in the competition - are situated less than 20 miles from Macclesfield and proved every bit as inhospitable for Premier League opposition.

"It probably hasn't sunk in really. I'm in a little bit of shock about that result today," Port Vale manager Jon Brady told TNT Sports. "Not that I didn't believe we could do it, but you need a lot of things going your way."

Brady and his players only secured their place in the fifth round by beating Championship side Bristol City five days earlier, with Waine scoring the winner in that match as well.

"I know it wasn't pretty to watch, probably not the best game to watch, but we dug in so hard and I think we deserved it," said Waine, who headed in from close range in the 28th minute. "We stuck to the game plan - as simple as that."

The draw for the quarterfinals is on Monday.

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Ross Stewart's 91st-minute penalty sealed victory for Southampton at Craven Cottage.

The game was heading to extra time when Joachim Andersen brought down Finn Azaz in the box late on. Stewart stepped up and blasted past Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.

Fulham coach Marco Silva paid the price for making nine changes to his starting line-up and leaving out star players like Raul Jimenez, Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi.

Victory continues Southampton's impressive surge under coach Tonda Eckert, who has transformed the club's fortunes since taking charge in November.

The team, which was relegated from the Premier League last season, were battling for survival in the Championship when former coach Will Still was fired. Under Eckert they have risen up the standings and are competing for a place in the playoffs.

"Overall, in the 90 minutes it's deserved that we go to the next round," he told the BBC. "(We) just need to use this game as fuel for the games coming up."