Championship team Southampton delivered one of those unbelievable Saturday results in the 2025/26 season when they eliminated Premier League leaders Arsenal and will be in the FA Cup semi-finals. In a tense quarter-final fight at St Mary’s Stadium, it was substitute Shea Charles who was the match-winner for the Saints, converting an 85th-minute goal that set the home supporters on fire.
Although Viktor Gyokeres scored the equaliser in the second half, the Gunners, who were Mikel Arteta’s main team but with very few changes, did not have the lethal touch necessary to get past a highly determined and well-organised Southampton team. The loss is a huge blow for the Gunners, who have now been knocked out of two domestic cup competitions one after the other since their League Cup final defeat to Manchester City.
| Southampton | Arsenal | |
| Score | 2 | 1 |
| Goalscorers | R. Stewart (35′), S. Charles (85′) | V. Gyokeres (68′) |
| Possession | 36% | 64% |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 5 |
| Corners | 3 | 7 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 (Manning, Jander) | 1 (Martinelli) |
Ross Stewart Capitalizes On Ben White’s Error To Give Saints Lead
Arsenal started with solid possession but were not able to break through a very determined Southampton defence, which was mainly thwarted by Taylor Harwood-Bellis. However, to the hosts’ surprise and despite the Gunners’ dominance, they scored first in the 35th minute after a rare mistake from the Arsenal defence.
Southampton full-back James Bree swung in a deep cross, which Ben White, who was caught off guard, failed to clear, and Scottish forward Ross Stewart then took his time to shoot past Kepa Arrizabalaga. St Mary’s was on fire as the lower division team sensed a major upset; on the other hand, Arteta’s players went to the dressing room down in the score, although they dominated the game on the pitch.
Gyokeres Impact Not Enough As Shea Charles Finds The Winner
Arteta, eager to get a quick reaction, brought on Viktor Gyokeres, Riccardo Calafiori, and Noni Madueke shortly before the 60-minute mark. The tactical change hit the jackpot in the 68th minute when Gabriel played a through ball to Kai Havertz, who selflessly laid the ball off to Gyokeres for an easy finish.
Nevertheless, their equality didn’t last long. At the 85th minute, Tom Fellows positioned himself on the right wing and attracted several defenders before he released an excellent pass to Shea Charles. The replacement turned one time and guided his accurate shot off the post and into the distant corner, giving the Saints back the lead.
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