Abdul Fatawu scores an extra time winner as Leicester defeat Bournemouth to advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals

Leicester City has made a remarkable recovery from their recent struggles in the Championship by securing a spot in the F.A Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 2020/21 season. They achieved this feat by defeating Bournemouth, a Premier League team, with a 1-0 victory in extra-time, thanks to Abdul Fatawu's decisive strike.

Enzo Maresca, after experiencing two consecutive league defeats, expressed his determination to succeed in this competition by introducing nine new players to the team that suffered a 3-1 loss to Leeds United last Friday, with the aim of making an immediate return to the Premier League.

Despite this, the Foxes still had players with a strong F.A Cup background, as three members of the squad that achieved victory in 2021 made their presence felt in this match.

The first significant opportunity of the game fell to Enes Ünal, who is on loan from Getafe and made his first start for the Cherries. He connected with Luis Sinisterra's pass and attempted a shot, but it was cleared off the line by Hamza Choudhury.

On the other side of the pitch, Ünal's compatriot Yunus Akgün missed the target with a header from a precise cross by Marc Albrighton.

Just before halftime, Albrighton showcased his skills by advancing forward and taking a long-range shot, only to be denied by the width of the post.

Both teams made changes during the halftime break in an effort to inject more pace into the game.

Shortly after the restart, the opening goal almost came in a fortunate manner, as Marcos Senesi's cross narrowly missed everyone, including goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, before hitting the same post that Albrighton had previously struck.

It was evident that neither side wanted to go into extra time, as they both pushed for a winning goal.

Unfortunately for Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, Stolarczyck was in exceptional form and managed to save the full-back's attempt.

As a result, an additional 30 minutes of play were required. With a total of 35 off-target shots throughout the game, it seemed likely that the match would be decided by penalties.

However, in the end, Fatawu, on loan from Sporting Lisbon, produced a moment of brilliance for Leicester. He curled a magnificent shot into the top corner, beyond the reach of Travers, securing victory for his team.

The Foxes managed to secure their first win in seven attempts at the Vitality Stadium, despite a tense climax. Maresca is optimistic that this victory will pave the way for more success in the Cup and motivate his team to perform better in the league.

On the other hand, Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, will focus on ensuring his team remains in the top flight, as they are currently eight points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.