Bournemouth 1-1 Wolves (aet, 5-4 pens): Hosts into last eight with shoot-out win

Bournemouth reached the FA Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Wolves, with Matt Doherty’s miss proving costly for Vitor Pereira’s men.

Matheus Cunha’s stunning long-range effort had cancelled out Evanilson’s opener, but the Wolves forward was then sent off for violent conduct in the final moments of extra time.

Nevertheless, Wolves had a chance to win the shout-out when Sam Johnstone saved from Dean Huijsen, but Doherty rolled his spot-kick wide and Boubacar Traore hit the crossbar, allowing Luis Sinisterra to send Bournemouth through.

Jorgen Strand Larsen had gone close for Wolves before Bournemouth opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, Evanilson tapping home when Johnstone could only parry Antoine Semenyo’s shot.

The Cherries thought they had another four minutes later as a combination of Milos Kerkez and Huijsen bundled home at the far post, amid suggestions of offside against the latter.

However, the semi-automated offside technology – introduced in English football for the first time this weekend – failed, leading referee Chris Kavanagh to speak to both managers amid a lengthy VAR check, which ultimately led to the goal being disallowed.

Alex Scott was then penalised for handball when he should have tapped home for 2-0, and Cunha punished Bournemouth’s wastefulness when he sent a 30-yard strike dipping into the top-right corner on the hour.

Bournemouth laid siege to the Wolves area from there, and though the visitors held out to force spot-kicks, Cunha’s red card – awarded for a mindless headbutt on Kerkez – deprived them of their best penalty taker.

That came back to haunt them when Doherty sent a dismal effort wide and Traore struck the crossbar, allowing Sinisterra to clinch just their third ever quarter-final appearance.

What it’s all about @afcbournemouth‘s Luis Sinisterra celebrated his shootout winner with his loved ones #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/MqMvMVPtMc

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 1, 2025

Data Debrief: More penalty heartache for Wolves

Wolves’ defeat was their seventh in their last eight shoot-outs, while Bournemouth have now won their last five shoot-outs in a row in all competitions.

It means the Cherries have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals twice in the last five years, having only previously done so once in 89 attempts.

Though Wolves came close to a memorable victory, they could have few complaints about the result, and will now have to do without Cunha as he faces up to a suspension.

Bournemouth fired off 31 shots in this match, the most any team has had in an all-Premier League FA Cup tie since Manchester United’s 36 against Norwich City in June 2020.