Leeds beats West Ham in penalty shootout to reach FA Cup semifinals for first time since 1987

LONDON (AP) — Leeds threw away a two-goal lead in second-half injury time and had a double scare in extra time before going on to beat West Ham in a penalty shootout on Sunday and reach the FA Cup semifinals for the first time since 1987.

Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi struck in the 93rd and 96th minutes as West Ham leveled the score at 2-2 at London Stadium and forced extra time — where two goals for West Ham were chalked off for offside — before Leeds won the quarterfinal shootout 4-2. West Ham debutant Finlay Herrick saved a penalty from Joel Piroe but Leeds eventually prevailed with Pascal Struijk scoring the winning penalty.

“At least I’m old enough that I was already born when there was the last semifinal for Leeds United in the FA Cup in the '80s," Leeds manager Daniel Farke said. “It was a crazy game."

The thousands of West Ham fans who had left early were trying, and failing, to get back in when Taty Castellanos thought he had put the Hammers ahead in the opening seconds of extra time after a bad error from Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri, only for VAR to rule Castellanos offside.

Then Jarrod Bowen crashed a shot against the crossbar, with Pablo offside when he rolled in the rebound.

The 20-year-old Herrick came on as a replacement for Alphonse Areola, who left the field to receive treatment with five minutes of extra time remaining.

Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty had previously built a 2-0 lead for Leeds in a classic FA Cup game between two relegation-threatened teams in the Premier League.

Leeds will play Chelsea in the semifinals in a repeat of the 1970 FA Cup final, which Chelsea won after a replay.

Manchester City and second-tier Southampton meet in the other semifinal match with games to be played April 25-26 at Wembley.

The draw was held after Leeds’ victory.

West Ham averted some controversy after it backed down on a decision, reportedly taken by the safety officer before the match, that a penalty shootout would not be taken in front of the end housing 9,000 Leeds fans because of “safety concerns.”

As it was, the coin toss went West Ham’s way.

Farke said: “You could imagine what I think about such a situation."

Stoppage time, extra time and the shootout were played in front of a half-empty stadium after the exodus of home fans.

“What I saw on the pitch was more important than anything,” West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo said.

“What I saw was a group of players, a group of boys that didn’t give up. This is the major lesson that we have to take from today.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke celebrates after the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United, in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Leeds United goalkeeper Lucas Perri celebrates saving West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen penalty in the shoot-out during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United, in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola goes down injured before being replaced by substitute goalkeeper Finlay Herrick in extra-time during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United, in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen, right, and Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu in action during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring their side's second goal from a penalty during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

West Ham United's Axel Disasi, center right, scores their side's second goal during their English FA Cup, quarter-final soccer match against Leeds United in London, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin, third right, and teammates celebrate in the penalty shoot-out during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between West Ham United and Leeds United, in London, Sunday April 5, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Porter Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal to put the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Martone — who just wrapped his season at Michigan State — is just the boost the Flyers needed down the stretch to earn that coveted playoff spot. His first career NHL goal in his fourth game put the Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division with five games left for them this season.

Flyers fans erupted when Martone capitalized on the 5-on-3 advantage — courtesy of a hook and a high stick — with 2:29 left in OT. Martone became the first player in Flyers history to score his first NHL goal in overtime.

The Flyers needed this win to get in Eastern Conference playoff position for the first time since Jan. 12.

The Bruins tied the score 1-1 only 35 seconds into the third period when Pavel Zacha knocked one past Dan Vladar on the power play for his 29th goal of the season.

Christian Dvorak took a perfect touch pass from Martone, the Flyers' 2025 first-round draft pick, and finished a 2-on-1 with a wrister past Joonas Korpisalo for the early 1-0 lead. Still buzzing from the early goal, Flyers fans erupted only moments later when Travis Konecny and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy briefly scrapped near the net.

The Flyers are playing meaningful hockey in the final week of the season for one of the few times over the past 15 seasons. Chicago beat Philadelphia in 2010 for the Stanley Cup, and the Flyers never recovered, winning only three playoff series since and they haven't made it all since 2020 in the bubble format. The Flyers haven't played a home playoff series since 2018.

The Bruins are safe in a playoff spot down the stretch while the Flyers play five pivotal games — the next three on the road, the final two at home — that will decide their postseason fate.

Bruins: Play Tuesday at Carolina.

Flyers: Play Tuesday at New Jersey.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Philadelphia Flyers center Christian Dvorak (22) celebrates his goal with right wing Travis Konecny (11) and right wing Porter Martone (94) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) skates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)