Sunderland reached the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2015 as Habib Diarra’s controversial first-half penalty sealed a 1-0 win at Oxford.
The Championship side made life difficult on a pitch battered by heavy rain earlier in the day. But the surface held up at the Kassam Stadium, and so did Regis Le Bris’ Premier League visitors. They scraped through thanks to a decision that angered much of the home support.
Dennis Cirkin won the spot-kick when he went down under Christ Makosso’s challenge. With no VAR in operation, referee Thomas Kirk had only one look. Diarra stepped up and converted to settle a tense tie.
This fixture had been a league meeting last season. Sunderland lost 2-0 here in April and ended that campaign with five straight defeats. Four weeks later, they won the play-off final at Wembley to secure promotion and have not looked back since.
Oxford, by contrast, face a genuine relegation battle after two seasons in the second tier. They set those worries aside and competed well, especially late on when Sunderland had to dig deep.
The visitors controlled much of the first half. After 13 minutes, Chemsdine Talbi crossed for Wilson Isidor, who miskicked before firing into the side-netting.
Oxford threatened through Jamie Donley, whose ambitious lob famously caught out Manchester City in last season’s fourth round. His low drive forced Robin Roefs into a sharp save. The 21-year-old, on loan from Tottenham, was making only his second appearance after suffering injury on his debut in the previous round.
Oxford had not won a penalty since their League One play-off semi-final against Peterborough 85 games ago.
Sunderland had no such wait. After 33 minutes, Makosso lunged in clumsily and tripped Cirkin inside the area. The decision looked generous, but Diarra calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Makosso almost responded before the break, heading wide from Will Vaulks’ long throw.
Home fans booed the officials at half-time, unhappy with several decisions, especially the penalty.
Oxford pushed hard in the final half-hour. Matt Ingram kept them alive with strong saves from Romaine Mundle and an acrobatic stop to deny Talbi from distance. He also blocked Trai Hume at his near post.
Their best chance arrived in the 70th minute when the ball dropped kindly for substitute Jamie McDonnell. He side-footed over the bar.
Sunderland held firm to see it out.
