Kaoru Mitoma's Goal Sends Chelsea Out Of FA Cup As Brighton Progress To Fifth Round

 

Brighton & Hove Albion secured a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Chelsea, leaving the Blues reeling from another disappointing defeat and will not progress to the FA Cup fifth round. 

The match got off to a blistering start, with Chelsea taking the lead in the 5th minute through Bart Verbruggen's own goal. Chelsea gained an early advantage as the goalkeeper fumbled with Cole Palmer's cross.

However, Brighton responded swiftly with a brilliant equalizer from Georginio Rutter. The French forward guided a delicious delivery from Joel Veltman's cross into the far corner with a glancing header, restoring parity to the match.

As the game wore on, Brighton's dominance became increasingly apparent. The Seagulls' pressure finally paid off when Kaoru Mitoma scored a stunning goal to give Brighton the lead. Mitoma influenced the build-up and Chelsea's defense was caught off guard. He calmly dinked the ball over Robert Sánchez to send the hosts ahead. 

Brighton played with a sense of urgency, passing the ball with purpose and defending resolutely against a Chelsea team lacking ideas. Chelsea's attempts to mount a comeback were fruitless, as Brighton's defense held firm against a lackluster Blues attack. 

Having to drop out of the competition extended Chelsea's trophy-less to seven consecutive seasons. More so, it extended the Blues winless run to five in seven previous games in all competitions.

Overview 

First half: dominance split between the two. Chelsea barely had scoring chances except for Nkunku's close-range lob for Palmer, which was wasted. Danny Welbeck kept a low profile while Rutter was quite influential at the front. Mitoma was another Seagull that made the game a difficult one for the Blues. The South Korean goal was controversial but since VAR will not be in use until the fifth round he got away with it. 

Despite the loss, Plamer was a prominent one for the Blues. He facilitated Verbruggen's own goal from a poor save but Chelsea could not find their rhythm in the game. Rutter was allowed enough room to get a header despite two defenders near him likewise Mitoma's. Chelsea's porous defense had them punished by Brighton though the Seagulls got away with many offside positions.