Bavarian Loan Works: Daniel Peretz earns FA Cup win for over Premier League team

London — Daniel Peretz, the only FC Bayern first-team player currently on loan in England’s second tier, stole the headlines on Sunday evening after leading Championship side Southampton to a 1-0 upset of Premier League outfit Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round.

The 22-year-old Israeli goalkeeper, making only his second appearance for the Saints since arriving from Munich in January, produced a flawless display at Craven Cottage, turning away all six shots he faced to preserve a clean sheet that sets up a quarter-final berth for Russell Martin’s men.

In a tie that looked destined for extra time, Southampton broke the deadlock from the spot in the 90th minute, converting the lone goal that separated the sides and sending the travelling fans into raptures. Peretz’s composure under steady Fulham pressure proved decisive, capping a memorable week that began with a 3-1 league victory at Sheffield Wednesday in which he stopped two of the three efforts on target.

The victory marks the second consecutive round in which a Bayern loanee has played a pivotal role in English knockout football, following João Palhinha’s full-throttle performance for Tottenham in their fourth-round replay win. While Spurs bowed out of the competition last week, Peretz’s heroics ensure the Bavarian giants still have a representative alive in the latter stages of the world’s oldest cup tournament.

Southampton, who have now won three straight in all competitions, return to league action with back-to-back away fixtures: a mid-week trip to West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday followed by a Saturday clash at Coventry City. Peretz is expected to retain his place between the sticks as the Saints push for an immediate return to the Premier League.