Sunderland's FA Cup adventure has ended at the fourth round stage after they lost a thrilling fourth round replay against Fulham at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats were bidding for the right to face Leeds United in the last 16 of the competition, 50 years after their famous triumph against the Yorkshire club at Wembley.
But, after securing a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage against Premier League Fulham in the initial tie, Sunderland lost out on home turf. Harry Wilson scored early for the Londoners, with sub Andreas Pereira adding a second on the hour.
Jack Clarke halved the deficit with just over ten minutes to go, but Layvin Kurzawa restored Fulham's two-goal advantage shortly afterward. Sunderland sub Jewison Bennette made it 3-2 near the end, but it was just not quite enough for Tony Mowbray's men.
READ MORE: Sunderland 2-3 Fulham: Highlights and reaction as Black Cats bow out of the FA Cup
Mowbray made one enforced change to the side that started the league draw at Millwall at the weekend. On-loan Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt was cup-tied, and Abdoullah Ba came into the side to replace him.
Fulham boss Marco Silva made nine changes to the side that started Friday's goalless draw at Chelsea in the Premier League, with only Kenny Tete and Joao Palhinha retained from that team. Fulham started on the front foot and Dan Ballard had to be alert to make an important block from Manor Solomon inside the first five minutes, with Shane Duffy sending a shot wide soon afterwards.
But the visitors soon went in front, with Wilson breaking the deadlock on eight minutes. Sunderland failed to deal with a cross from the right flank, and with the ball staying in the danger area it came to Carlos Vinicius who teed up Wilson on the edge of the box and his shot with the outside of his left foot found the bottom right-hand corner, with Anthony Patterson getting a hand to it but not enough to keep it out.
After that bad start, the Black Cats slowly came into the game and ex-Fulham man Patrick Roberts had a half-chance but sliced his shot and it was cleared. At the other end, Wilson intercepted a slack pass and brought a save out of Patterson, and then a couple of minutes later the lively midfielder sent a shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Sunderland got better as the half wore on and Amad tested Marek Rodak with a vicious left-foot shot from the edge of the area which the keeper parried, and Ba blazed his follow-up effort high and wide. Ballard sent a shot wide, and Dan Neil saw an effort blocked, but still Sunderland could not find a way through.
Fulham made a double change at half-time with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Pereira coming on, but Sunderland started the second half in the ascendancy - just as they had finished the first. Amad and Trai Hume combined to set up Neil on the edge of the box, but his shot went just wide of the left-hand post.
And only a brilliant reflex save from Rodak denied Roberts after good work from Clarke down the left. On 57 minutes, Edouard Michut's clever footwork set up a chance for Amad inside the box and his shot beat Rodak only for Duffy to clear off the line.
Two minutes later, however, Fulham doubled their lead as their substitutes combined. Mitrovic burst into the penalty area down the left and while his shot was blocked by the oncoming Patterson, the Serb hooked the ball back across goal and Pereira was there to stab home from close range.
Sunderland pulled a goal back 13 minutes from time as Clarke collected Aji Alese's pass inside the area and had time to pick his spot before bending his finish into the top right-hand corner. Fulham restored their two-goal lead just five minutes later when Sunderland were unable to clear their lines and eventually Duffy headed across the box, and Kurzawa blasted the ball into the roof of the net from six yards out.
Sunderland kept going and Bennette narrowed the gap again in the final minute of normal time, applying the finish after good work from Danny Batth, but the Black Cats could not force an equaliser in injury-time to take the tie to extra-time.
How they lined up
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese, Roberts (Pritchard 64), Michut (Ekwah 71), Neil (O'Nien 64), Clarke, Amad (Bennette 71), Ba (Rigg 79). Subs not used: Bass, Kelly, Johnson, Watson
Fulham: Rodak, Tete (De Cordova-Reid 65), Duffy, Tosin, Kurzawa, Harris (Pereira 46), Palhinha (Reed 65), Wilson, Cairney, Solomon (James 79), Vinicius (Mitrovic 46). Subs not used: Leno, Willian, Diop, Robinson
Booked: Duffy
Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)
Attendance: 29,651
READ NEXT:
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- Tony Mowbray sets out Dennis Cirkin's likely return date as the defender recovers from concussion
- Sunderland's 1973 Road to Wembley relived: Rokermen see off Royals to set up Maine chance in last 16
- Dennis Cirkin's Sunderland message after netting dramatic equaliser at Millwall
- Joe Gelhardt says the Championship is tougher than the Premier League after his Sunderland debut
