Stoke City vs Fulham: How a Cup Upset Nearly Happened

Stoke City vs Fulham delivered exactly the kind of drama the FA Cup is known for. On February 15, 2026, at the bet365 Stadium, Championship side Stoke City pushed their Premier League visitors all the way before Fulham eventually came from behind to win 2-1 and book a place in the FA Cup fifth round. It wasn’t comfortable, and for long spells it looked like Mark Robins’ Potters might spring a genuine cup shock.

For Fulham supporters, the result was a relief after a mixed run of league form. For Stoke supporters, it was another frustrating afternoon in a run of games without a win — but one where their players, many of them fringe squad members, showed they could compete with top-flight opposition for large stretches of the match.

This article breaks down exactly what happened, who scored, how the lineups shaped up, and what the result means for both clubs.

Stoke City 1-2 Fulham: Quick Match Summary

In short: Bae Jun-Ho put Stoke ahead in the first half, but Fulham responded through Kevin’s second-half equaliser and Harrison Reed’s late winner, sealing a 2-1 win and progression to the FA Cup fifth round.

Stoke City vs Fulham: Team News and Starting Lineups

Marco Silva made ten changes to his Fulham starting eleven from the midweek Premier League defeat to Manchester City, resting several regulars including Bernd Leno, Harry Wilson and Sander Berge, all of whom were named among the substitutes. Rodrigo Muniz led the line, while Raul Jimenez was held back on the bench as an option to bring on later in the game.

Fulham’s starting lineup included Benjamin Lecomte in goal, with a back line of Timothy Castagne, Issa Diop and Jorge Cuenca. Harrison Reed and Antonee Robinson operated in the wing-back areas, while Oscar Bobb, Josh King, Alex Iwobi and Kevin supported Muniz further forward. Reed captained the side for the day.

Stoke’s starting eleven featured goalkeeper Tommy Simkin behind a back three of Ben Wilmot, Maksym Talovierov and Ashley Phillips. Eric-Junior Bocat and Sorba Thomas provided width, with Tatsuki Seko and Tomás Rigo in midfield alongside Bae Jun-Ho, and Lamine Cisse and Milan Smit completing the front line under Mark Robins’ setup.

Stoke City vs Fulham: How the Match Unfolded

Stoke started the stronger of the two sides, unafraid of their Premier League opponents despite fielding what was effectively a reserve-heavy Fulham line-up on paper. Ashley Phillips went close early on, meeting a floated free-kick but missing narrowly at the back post, while at the other end Harrison Reed shot over from the edge of the box after good hold-up play from Rodrigo Muniz.

The breakthrough came in the 19th minute. Bae Jun-Ho capped a well-worked team move to put the home side ahead, sending the travelling supporters into a nervous silence and giving Stoke’s home defence something concrete to hold onto. Sorba Thomas also tested Benjamin Lecomte with a low effort through a crowd of bodies, which the goalkeeper did well to block with his feet.

Fulham had chances of their own before the break — Alex Iwobi failed to convert a good opportunity, and Kevin was denied by Tommy Simkin — but they went into half-time trailing 1-0, with the raft of changes to their starting line-up occasionally showing in careless passing under pressure.

Second Half: Fulham Find Their Rhythm

Fulham looked a different side after the interval. Marco Silva’s team settled into their passing game, gradually taking control of the midfield battle and pushing Stoke back for long periods. The equaliser arrived in the 55th minute when Kevin cut in from the left and drilled a first-time effort into the bottom corner, capping a lively individual performance and levelling the tie at 1-1.

From there, Stoke were largely under siege, with Simkin called into repeated action to keep his side in the contest — saving well from both Josh King and Oscar Bobb as Fulham pressed for a winner. Stoke’s front players, including Bae Jun-Ho and substitute options, occasionally threatened on the break, and Tomás Rigo also had a shot narrowly miss the target.

The Decisive Moment

With six minutes remaining, a crucial error settled the tie. Goalkeeper Tommy Simkin attempted a short pass out from the back to Tatsuki Seko, who was caught out by a sharp interception from Harrison Reed. Seko went to ground, and Reed collected the loose ball, kept his composure, and finished calmly to make it 2-1 in the 84th minute — a breakaway goal born directly from Stoke’s own attempted build-up play.

Both managers made changes late on. Stoke brought on Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Ben Pearson in a double substitution as they searched for an immediate response, while Fulham introduced Raul Jimenez for Muniz and Emile Smith Rowe for Josh King to help see out the closing stages. There was no way back for the Championship side, and after a handful of additional late substitutions and cautions — including yellow cards for Timothy Castagne, Issa Diop and Bae Jun-Ho — the match ended Stoke City 1-2 Fulham.
Source: ESPN

Stoke City vs Fulham: Key Players and Performances

Several individuals stood out across the 90 minutes:

• Harrison Reed — scored the decisive goal and led the side as captain for the day, showing sharp anticipation to punish Stoke’s mistake.
• Kevin — Fulham’s equaliser came from a well-taken first-time finish, and he was a persistent threat throughout the attack.
• Tommy Simkin — made several important saves to keep Stoke competitive, though his late error proved costly.
• Rodrigo Muniz — worked hard as the focal point of Fulham’s attack before being replaced by Raul Jimenez.
• Ashley Phillips and Bae Jun-Ho — led Stoke’s threat going forward, with Bae’s opener giving the home crowd real belief.

Stoke City vs Fulham: What Went Right and Wrong

For Fulham: Marco Silva’s decision to rotate heavily paid off in the end, even if the performance was patchy for the first 45 minutes. The second-half response showed squad depth and character, and progressing to the fifth round keeps alive Fulham’s hopes in a competition the club, despite its long history, has never won.

For Stoke City: The result extended Stoke’s league losing streak and winless run, which had stretched back to a win over Coventry in the previous round. Manager Mark Robins will take some encouragement from his side’s application against top-flight opposition, but the late defensive lapse from Simkin’s misjudged pass was a costly, avoidable error that ultimately decided the tie.

Stoke City vs Fulham: FA Cup Fifth Round and What Followed

Fulham’s win over Stoke set up a fifth-round tie against fellow Championship side Southampton at Craven Cottage on March 8, 2026. In front of their own supporters, Fulham were unable to build on their cup run, losing 1-0 to Southampton and exiting the competition — a reminder of how unpredictable knockout football can be even for the stronger side on paper. Still, the win over Stoke stands as a solid result from a difficult away tie against determined lower-league opposition.

Stoke City vs Fulham: Previous Meetings and Head-to-Head

Fulham have historically had the upper hand in recent meetings between the two clubs, and this cup victory extended that trend. The two sides don’t meet regularly given they occupy different divisions, which made this FA Cup match all the more intriguing for both sets of fans, with Stoke supporters hoping home advantage and cup unpredictability could level the playing field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stoke City vs Fulham prediction
Before kickoff, Fulham were widely expected to win given the gap in division between a Premier League side and a Championship opponent, though Stoke’s home form and the number of changes Marco Silva made were expected to make it competitive. That prediction held true — Stoke led at half-time before Fulham’s quality told in the second half.

Stoke City vs Fulham live
The match was played on February 15, 2026, at the bet365 Stadium with a 2:00 PM kickoff, and was covered live through broadcast and streaming partners including ESPN+. Live commentary and goal updates were also available through major football news outlets during the game.

Stoke City vs Fulham last match
The most recent meeting between the two sides was this FA Cup fourth-round tie on February 15, 2026, which Fulham won 2-1 thanks to goals from Kevin and Harrison Reed after Bae Jun-Ho had given Stoke an early lead.

Stoke City vs Fulham stats
Fulham were the more dominant side after half-time, controlling possession and creating the better chances, including efforts from Josh King, Oscar Bobb and Rodrigo Muniz. Stoke’s goalkeeper Tommy Simkin made multiple key saves before conceding the decisive goal in the 84th minute. Attendance was recorded at 14,871.

Stoke City vs Fulham h2h
Fulham have generally had the better record in recent head-to-head meetings between the clubs, with this cup win continuing that pattern. Matches between the two are relatively infrequent since they typically play in different divisions.

Stoke City vs Fulham lineups
Fulham lined up with Benjamin Lecomte in goal behind Timothy Castagne, Issa Diop, Jorge Cuenca, Harrison Reed and Antonee Robinson, with Oscar Bobb, Josh King, Alex Iwobi, Kevin and Rodrigo Muniz further forward. Stoke started Tommy Simkin in goal with Ben Wilmot, Maksym Talovierov, Ashley Phillips, Eric-Junior Bocat, Tatsuki Seko, Tomás Rigo, Sorba Thomas, Bae Jun-Ho, Lamine Cisse and Milan Smit.

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