Fulham’s goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli had a sudden case of ball-o-phobia tonight as he threw away his side’s 1-0 lead. Literally, he threw it right into his own net.
The 22-year-old showed didn’t just take his eyes off the ball, but looked like he went for a little snooze as a Sunderland corner came in during the sides’ FA Cup fourth round replay at Craven Cottage.
Some will argue that Bettinelli’s poor catching evened out Fulham’s fortuitous opening goal after Hugo Rodallega toe-poked the ball in the 6-yard box which somehow hit the crossbar and found its way past Vito Mannone to make it 1-0 Fulham.
But that was the last bit of good fortune that Kit Symons’ side received as the Black Cats went on to win the tie.
After Bettinelli’s howler, Ricardo Alvarez needed no luck as he hammered home this left-footed effort from just inside the box to give Sunderland a 2-1 lead.
Sunderland’s path into the fifth round was secured with a Jordi Gomez penalty at the death in an odd, yet entertaining game of football.
