An early own goal from John O’Shea and a Jon Stead strike on the hour mark helped continue Bradford’s fairytale cup run in a pulsating fifth round tie.
Read: Chelsea and Man City exit FA Cup to underdogs
Stead was scoring for the fifth straight round as the underdogs reached the last eight of the FA Cup for the first time since 1976 — just one win away from a semifinal and a return to the famous Wembley stadium.
It is not the first time the Bantams, under the management of Phil Parkinson, have caused cup upsets against EPL opposition, reaching the final of the 2012-13 English League Cup before losing 5-0 to Swansea at Wembley.
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Brazil’s Neymar had given the Catalan giants an early lead, connecting with a Messi cross as his mishit volley found its way into the net.
Messi doubled the advantage just before halftime and took the game out of Levante’s reach with his second on the hour mark.
He completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Neymar had been fouled and Luis Suarez came off the bench to score a superb fifth.
