Kaoru Mitoma’s second-half goal secured Brighton & Hove Albion a 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea, sending them through to the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.
Chelsea took the lead early when Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen inadvertently bundled a Cole Palmer cross into his own net in the fifth minute.
However, Brighton quickly responded, with Georginio Rutter scoring the equalizer just seven minutes later with a well-placed header.
Palmer had a chance to restore Chelsea’s lead before halftime, but Brighton dominated the second half. Mitoma’s 57th-minute flicked finish over Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sealed the win for the hosts.
Chelsea’s defeat means they have not won away since early December, leaving their only realistic shot at silverware this season in the UEFA Conference League.
Brighton, under 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler, were inconsistent in the league but delivered a strong performance after last week’s 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, especially after their early misfortune.
“It’s good that everyone rallied around and showed their fighting spirit,” said Brighton winger Tariq Lamptey.
Despite the early setback, when Palmer’s volley led to Verbruggen’s mistake, Rutter quickly atoned with a header from Joel Veltman’s cross.
There was some controversy surrounding Brighton’s winner, with some suspecting a handball in the build-up, but Mitoma remained calm to lift the ball over Sanchez for the decisive goal.
