The FA Cup is famous for its unpredictability, and Sunday’s third-round clash between Hull City and Blackburn Rovers at the MKM Stadium was a textbook example of knockout football’s tension and drama, even if the entertainment value was in short supply. On a chilly January afternoon, both sides battled through 120 minutes without a goal, but it was Hull City who ultimately prevailed 4-3 in a nerve-jangling penalty shootout, booking their first trip to the competition’s fourth round since the 2019/20 season.
For Hull City, the victory represents more than just progress in the cup—it’s a significant psychological boost for a team whose recent FA Cup history has been defined by disappointment. Prior to Sunday, the Tigers had been knocked out at the third-round stage in four consecutive seasons, not tasting FA Cup success since a win over Fleetwood Town back in 2020-21. This time around, the shootout triumph finally broke that streak, and the sense of relief around the stadium was palpable.
The match itself was hardly a classic. Both teams came into the tie with their own challenges: Hull City, under the stewardship of Semir Jakirovic, are in the thick of a Championship promotion push, while Blackburn Rovers have been battling an injury crisis and hovering just above the relegation zone. With both managers rotating their squads—Hull giving chances to youngsters like Cathal McCarthy and possibly Matty Jacob, and Blackburn debuting new signing Eiran Cashin—the game unfolded as a cagey, tactical affair.
From the opening whistle, it was clear this would be a contest of patience rather than panache. Hull City pressed early, but Blackburn’s compact defensive lines stymied their advances. The first half saw little in the way of clear-cut chances, with Hull’s defensive leader Charlie Hughes standing out for his composed play at the back. The most notable incident came just 15 minutes in, when Hull’s Gyabi had to be substituted due to injury, forcing Jakirovic into an early tactical reshuffle.
As the minutes ticked by, both teams struggled to carve out opportunities. The match statistics told the story: Hull City managed 19 shots to Blackburn’s 10, but only two of those for the hosts and one for the visitors actually tested the goalkeepers. The expected goals metric hovered under 0.10 for much of the match, underscoring the lack of attacking threat. According to VAVEL, "The overall score shows that we only had 3 clear scoring opportunities between the two teams."
Blackburn, for their part, were content to sit deep and absorb pressure, rarely venturing forward with intent. Their manager’s strategy was clear—keep it tight and hope for a moment of magic or a mistake. Hull City, meanwhile, attempted to inject some urgency with substitutions in the second half, bringing on the likes of Ohashi, Ribeiro, and McLoughlin in search of a breakthrough.
As the game edged into extra time, fatigue set in and quality waned further. Hull City’s full-backs began to push higher, but neither side found the composure or creativity needed to break the deadlock. The home side’s best chance came late in the extra period, but a crucial interception from Blackburn’s defense denied them. Blackburn’s only real moment of danger was a long-range effort that Hull’s goalkeeper Dillon Phillips did well to tip around the post.
With the score still deadlocked at 0-0 after 120 minutes, the match headed for penalties—a scenario that had nerves jangling on both benches. Hull’s manager, Semir Jakirovic, had admitted before the shootout that he’d "never won a shootout and says he won’t watch this if it goes that far." But watch or not, his team held their nerve.
In front of 6,627 fans—around 400 of whom had made the trip from Blackburn—the penalty shootout was a tense affair. Hull City ultimately prevailed 4-3, sending the home supporters into raptures and ensuring their place in Monday night’s fourth-round draw, which will take place during the coverage of Liverpool vs Barnsley at Anfield. "It finishes 0-0, but City win the shootout 4-3 and are in the hat for tomorrow’s draw," reported Hull Live, capturing the relief and excitement of the occasion.
The result means Hull City’s next league match against Ipswich Town on February 14 will be rescheduled to accommodate their FA Cup commitments. This adds to their already busy calendar, with a previously postponed fixture against Watford also awaiting a new date. The Tigers’ promotion ambitions will now have to be balanced with their cup run—an intriguing subplot as the season unfolds.
For Blackburn Rovers, the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow. The visitors had come into the tie with a strong recent record in the FA Cup, winning eight of their last 12 away matches in the competition. However, injuries to key players like Ryan Hedges, Andri Gudjohnsen, and Scott Wharton forced manager Valérien Ismaël to field a makeshift side, and their lack of attacking intent was evident. Still, their defensive resilience almost earned them a spot in the next round.
History was also on the line. Prior to Sunday, five of the last seven meetings between Hull and Blackburn had been won by the away side, with Blackburn winning 3-0 at the MKM Stadium earlier this season. This time, though, Hull turned the tables and got some measure of revenge, albeit by the narrowest of margins.
Looking ahead, Hull supporters will be hoping for a favorable fourth-round draw—perhaps even a "plum tie" against Premier League opposition. For now, though, they can savor the satisfaction of finally breaking their FA Cup curse and keeping their hopes of a memorable cup run alive. As for Blackburn, attention will quickly return to their Championship survival battle, with the hope that some of their injured stars can return to bolster the squad.
In the end, it was a match that will be remembered more for its tension than its football. But in the FA Cup, sometimes that’s all you need to keep the dream alive. Hull City march on, and the magic of the cup endures for another round.
