Sunderland edged past Everton in a dramatic FA Cup tie, winning 1-1 (3-0 on penalties) at Hill Dickinson Stadium, thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Robin Roefs, who saved three spot-kicks to secure the Black Cats’ progression into the fourth round.
The match seemed to be heading Sunderland’s way when Enzo Le Fee’s first-half volley put the hosts ahead. Everton kept their hopes alive when James Garner converted a late 89th-minute penalty, sending the game into extra time.
However, Garner, Thierno Barry, and Beto could not replicate that success in the shoot-out, as Roefs denied all three to complete a 3-0 victory from the spot.
Earlier, Sunderland had survived several early scares. Noah Sadiki and Simon Adingra had shots blocked, while 18-year-old Harrison Armstrong saw a half-volley narrowly miss.
The breakthrough came in the 30th minute after Everton struggled with a long throw, allowing Eliezer Mayenda to set up Le Fee for a precise first-time finish into the bottom-right corner.
Everton pressed for an equaliser, with Vitalii Mykolenko threatening either side of the break and Dwight McNeil firing over from distance, but Sunderland’s defence held firm. Extra time remained goalless, setting the stage for Roefs’ heroics in the shoot-out.
Le Fee, Granit Xhaka, and Luke O’Nien converted for Sunderland, while Everton failed to score any penalties, becoming only the second top-flight side to lose an FA Cup shoot-out without scoring, after Blackburn in 2003.
Statistically, Everton had the edge in open play, producing 1.33 expected goals (xG) from 14 shots, compared to Sunderland’s 0.88 xG from 18 attempts, but it was Roefs who ultimately decided the tie, keeping Sunderland’s perfect FA Cup shoot-out record intact.
