This season’s FA Cup just keeps on delivering shocks.
Third-tier Port Vale pulled off a massive upset 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 is bottom of League One and 57 places below Sunderland. But the West Midlands team booked its place alongside giants Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea in the last eight courtesy of Kiwi Ben Waine’s looping first half header.
It was the latest giant-killing in a season that already saw sixth-tier Macclesfield eliminate titleholder Crystal Palace in what was officially the biggest upset in FA Cup history.
Port Vale – the lowest ranked team left in the competition – is situated less than 33km 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 tomorrow.
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