The winning goal arrived late but the result was deserved. Southampton were resilient in defence, combative in midfield, dangerous on the counterattack and are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after punishing another dozy home performance from Fulham with a stoppage-time penalty from Ross Stewart.
As wild as the celebrations were in the away end, it did not feel like much of a shock. Having recovered from last season’s limp relegation from the Premier League, Southampton were good value for the win.
There were times when they outplayed Fulham, who failed to summon the urgency required to secure a third quarter-final in four seasons, and it was clear to see why there is such positivity around Tonda Eckert, the fresh-faced German whose appointment as Will Still’s permanent replacement in December has revived Southampton and lifted them to within touching distance of a playoff spot.
“It’s very important, if you get that taste of how to win games, that you stay on the gas,” the 32-year‑old Eckert said after his side extended their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions. “We didn’t give Fulham too much today. It’s a deserved win. It was a good performance.”
For Fulham, the focus fell on the wisdom of Marco Silva’s starting XI. Was his decision to make nine changes after the midweek defeat to West Ham evidence of him underestimating Southampton? Maybe, but there was plenty of quality in the Fulham lineup. Executing the plan was the problem. Oscar Bobb, signed from Manchester City in January, was poor. Emile Smith Rowe and Samuel Chukwueze were quiet and Rodrigo Muniz, who started up front, was unable to take a couple of decent opportunities in the second half.
This was Fulham at their most frustrating. Ask them to seize the initiative and they invariably disappoint. They tend to stumble when they have a chance to rise out of mid-table and they resembled a team with a mental block here.
“A very bad day for us,” Silva said. “It is probably not the moment to be emotional. It is a moment for us to look deeper.
It is not just another defeat. We lost a big chance. If you want to be in a club that wants to get better your ambition has to always be there. If you are pushing to win a game there are certain standards you cannot drop. Some things are about mentality.”
Quick GuideMiddlesbrough rout QPR to continue promotion push
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Middlesbrough defeated QPR 4-0 to keep their push for automatic promotion from the Championship on course.
David Strelec, Alan Browne and Hayden Hackney were on target at Loftus Road before a late Tommy Conway penalty added gloss to a second away victory inside a week for Boro.
Kim Hellberg’s side remain second on 69 points, five behind leaders Coventry and four above third-placed Millwall. Ipswich, in fourth, trail Boro by five points with a game in hand.
Hellberg said “the performance overall was brilliant” before lauding the travelling Middlesbrough fans for how “they controlled this game in a very good way”. He said: “They were high, they were loud, they were supporting us all through the game, they were brilliant as always.”
Boro host Charlton on Wednesday before another home game against Bristol City next Saturday.
Defeat leaves QPR in 16th place, their season threatening to peter out after they had harboured hopes of a playoff tilt. Julien Stéphan’s men have now lost three consecutive games and have won only twice in all competitions since 4 January.
Silva is out of contract at the end of the season and his talk of ambition hinted at a manager yearning for a new challenge. He could not bring himself to complain about Fulham having the opening goal disallowed in strange circumstances. Daniel Peretz blasted a quick goal-kick against an unwitting Ryan Manning, flooring the Southampton left-back, but Jarred Gillett’s whistle was blown before Muniz swept the loose ball into the empty net.
Gillett thought the ball was still moving before Peretz took his kick. Replays were inconclusive but that was not why Fulham lost. They were slow to find their range in a muted atmosphere. A midday kick-off perhaps played a part in the ground being far from full, although the travelling fans were in good voice during a tight first half.
Southampton had the best chance of the opening period. They broke from a Fulham corner and Ryan Sessegnon was weak in a challenge on halfway with Léo Scienza, who raced through on goal but dinked wide with only Benjamin Lecomte to beat.
There was a whiff of complacency to Fulham. Joachim Andersen headed at Peretz from a corner. Bobb and Chukwueze threatened from long range but Southampton were comfortable in their low block. There was not much space for Smith Rowe in the No 10 position. Fulham dominated possession and finished with 24 shots but the ball often ended up with Tom Cairney and Harrison Reed in harmless positions in midfield.
There was more intensity at the start of the second half. Muniz headed over and Timothy Castagne had a goal disallowed for offside. But Southampton, who replaced Cyle Larin with Stewart with 19 minutes left, were undeterred. Tom Fellows found space on the left and shot straight at Lecomte. With Flynn Downes edging the midfield battle Southampton were starting to believe.
It remained tense. Finn Azaz wasted a golden chance for Southampton, Jorge Cuenca deflecting his shot against the bar, and Peretz saved brilliantly from Sessegnon.
Extra time was on the cards when the game slipped away from Fulham. A poor clearance from Lecomte was headed back towards the area, Stewart found Azaz and Andersen fouled the midfielder. It was a clear foul. Stewart was nerveless from the spot, blasting his kick past Lecomte. Fifty years since winning the cup for the first and only time, Southampton are dreaming again.
