ABDUL Fatawu struck in extra time as Cherries’ hopes of reaching just a third FA Cup quarter-final in their history were dashed by Championship leaders Leicester City.
Despite racking up the shots, both sides were wasteful during a goalless 90 minutes at Vitality Stadium.
So it took something special to break the deadlock, teenager Fatawu stepping up to the challenge, finding the top corner to seal a 1-0 victory for Enzo Maresca’s Foxes.
Andoni Iraola made six changes to the team which lost to Manchester City at the weekend. The back four remained, but there was a first Cherries start for Enes Unal, while Mark Travers, Alex Scott, Dango Ouattara and Luis Sinisterra also came in.
The other switch saw Philip Billing return after his three-match suspension. Ryan Christie, Marcus Tavernier, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo dropped to the bench, while Neto and Dominic Solanke were not involved.
Leicester, seeking immediate promotion back to the Premier League, made nine changes from their Championship loss to Leeds United on Friday.
And the Foxes came flying out of the traps, getting off a couple of early shots.
Cherries soon settled into the contest and got on the front foot. Unal was in the thick of the action, firing a free-kick over the bar and then seeing a low effort cleared off the line by Hamza Choudhury.
Cherries’ high press was paying dividends, regularly winning the ball back in dangerous areas, but from there they were lacking.
Alex Scott turned a shot over the bar, after good work from Sinisterra to get past the struggling Callum Doyle.
A low effort from Billing was then held by goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, as Unal lay stricken in the box holding his shoulder, which required treatment.
At the other end Tom Cannon and Jannik Vestergaard saw shots blocked, before Unal diverted a Milos Kerkez effort agonisingly wide from six yards.
Leicester then burst into life in the closing stages of the first half. Cannon saw a header held by Travers, before a low Marc Albrighton shot across goal came back off the post.
The ball reached Wanya Marcal, who took aim from range, but found a flying Travers in his way.
Cherries had the final chance of the first period, Sinisterra’s header from a corner tipped away well by Stolarczyk, before Scott turned the rebound wide on the stretch.
Semenyo replaced Unal up front at half-time and Cherries soon struck the same post which had kept out Albrighton, as Marcos Senesi’s ball into the box evaded everybody.
Iraola turned to his bench again, introducing Christie and Tavernier, the latter having an instant impact. He sent Kerkez away down the left, the Hungarian’s powerful shot beaten away by Stolarczyk.
Leicester carved out two huge opportunities to snatch a winner, Yunus Akgun and Ricardo Pereira latching onto respective through balls, before blazing off target as extra time beckoned.
Cook, Tavernier, Billing and Semenyo all had shots in the first period of the additional 30 minutes, but could not work Stolarczyk.
Midway through, Leicester broke the deadlock, substitute Fatawu cutting onto his left foot and finding the top corner from 20 yards, despite a touch from Travers.
Romain Faivre was instantly introduced and had a chance to equalise, but fired wide as Leicester moved into the last eight of the cup.
Cherries: Travers; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi (Tavernier, 73), Kerkez (Faivre, 105); Cook, Scott; Sinisterra (Kluivert, 90), Billing, Ouattara (Christie, 73); Unal (Semenyo, h-t).
Unused subs: Mepham, Kinsey, Radu (g/k).
Booked: Unal, Senesi, Scott, Kluivert.
Leicester: Stolarczyk; Choudhury, Coady, Vestergaard, Doyle (Justin, 80); Praet (Nelson, 106), Raikhy (Pereira, h-t); Albrighton (Fatawu, 64), Akgun, Marcal; Cannon (Iheanacho, 64).
Unused subs: Souttar, Thomas, Briggs, Ward (g/k).
Booked: Raikhy, Doyle, Fatawu, Pereira, Justin.
Referee: Paul Tierney.
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