Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno produced a stunning penalty-saving performance as his side triumphed 4-3 in a shootout, ousting defending FA Cup holders Manchester United from the competition in a dramatic fifth-round tie at Old Trafford on Sunday. The match, which ended 1-1 after extra time, was decided by Leno’s heroics, securing Fulham’s spot in the quarterfinals.
The game was a tale of two halves, with Fulham initially drawing first blood in stoppage time at the end of the first half. A well-delivered corner from Andreas Pereira found Rodrigo Muniz, whose header set up Calvin Bassey to score in his first FA Cup appearance for the club. The goal sent Fulham into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Manchester United came alive in the second half, and in the 71st minute, Bruno Fernandes leveled the score. Diogo Dalot’s cutback from the left found the United captain, who unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that beat Fulham keeper Leno and found the back of the net, sending the match into extra time.
Neither team managed to break the deadlock during extra time, despite a host of missed opportunities. United goalkeeper Andre Onana was forced into a late save from Emile Smith Rowe, while Leno made crucial saves, including a dramatic point-blank stop from Alejandro Garnacho. Fulham also came close to sealing the win, with 17-year-old Chido Obi missing an opportunity and being denied by Leno.
The match went to penalties, where Leno emerged as the hero. After saving Victor Lindelof’s spot-kick, it was left to United’s Joshua Zirkzee to keep his team’s hopes alive. However, Zirkzee’s penalty was fired straight at Leno, sparking wild celebrations from Fulham’s players and fans alike. Raul Jimenez, Sander Berge, Willian, and Antonee Robinson all converted their penalties for Fulham, who will now face Crystal Palace in the quarterfinals.
Leno was understandably jubilant after the match, telling BBC, “I think we deserved to win after 90 minutes. Of course, penalties, it is sometimes a lottery and luckily we won.” He added, “The goalie coach told me information, but my feeling is more important.”
Fulham manager Marco Silva echoed Leno’s sentiments, stating that his team was deserving of the win in normal time. “I think we were the best team on the pitch,” Silva said. “We deserve to be in the next stage.”
With this victory, Fulham advances to the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time in two years. The club’s only previous FA Cup final appearance was in 1975, when they were beaten 2-0 by West Ham United. Leno is determined to help Fulham go one step further this year, saying, “We want to go to Wembley 100%.”
