Chelsea suffered a disappointing elimination in the FA Cup after losing 2-1 to Brighton in the fourth round. Despite dominating possession, the Blues only managed to score through an own goal. A well-executed collective play saw Kaoru Mitoma seal Brighton’s victory and send Chelsea out of the tournament.
Chelsea Struggles to Score
Chelsea started aggressively, creating two early chances but failing to test Brighton’s goalkeeper. The breakthrough came in the 5th minute, albeit fortuitously. Cole Palmer delivered a cross from the left, which initially seemed an easy save for Brighton’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen. However, a strange bounce caused the ball to deflect off his shoulder and into the net, giving Chelsea an early lead through an own goal.
Brighton responded quickly, equalizing in the 12th minute. A poorly cleared cross fell to Joël Veltman, who sent it back into the box for Georginio Rutter. The forward placed a precise header into the far post, beating Chelsea’s keeper and leveling the score.
The decisive moment came in the 57th minute when Brighton orchestrated a brilliant team move. Mitoma initiated the attack from the left flank, and after a series of deflections inside the box, Rutter set him up again. The Japanese winger controlled the ball with his chest before delicately chipping it over the goalkeeper, securing Brighton’s 2-1 victory and Chelsea’s exit from the competition.
Cover photo: X (@OfficialBHAFC)
