Late Mitoma stunner for Brighton sends FA Cup holders Liverpool out
AOR Mitoma’s stunning stoppage-time winner secured Brighton and Hove Albion a 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday to dump the holders out of the FA Cup.
The tie appeared to be heading back to Anfield for a replay with the game finely poised at 1-1, but the in-form Mitoma netted a spectacular late goal to put Brighton into the fifth round.
Liverpool took the lead via Harvey Elliott during an entertaining first half, but Brighton were good value for Lewis Dunk’s fortuitous equalizer nine minutes later.
Brighton’s continued positivity in the second half looked to set to go unrewarded, but Mitoma’s ball juggling and cool finish sparked bedlam at the Amex Stadium as Liverpool’s FA Cup defence crumbled.
Mohamed Salah and Evan Ferguson had shots cleared off the line amid a frantic opening.
Salah then spurned an even better chance in the 25th minute, shooting wide with only
ason Steele to beat after Elliott’s incisive pass.
But when their roles reversed, Elliott made no such mistake as he found the bottom-left corner - not that Brighton trailed for long.
Liverpool cleared a corner only as far as Tariq Lamptey and his 25-metre drive de ected in off Dunk.
Fortune seemed to be smiling on Liverpool in the second half.
Alisson denied Solly March from point-blank range after Mitoma’s gorgeous cross in the 71st minute, before Ibrahima
onate and Fabinho were both arguably lucky to not get sent off.
But Brighton’s persistence brought a just reward.
Pervis Estupinan headed across goal to Mitoma, whose juggling helped him evade two defenders and set up a ruthless finish that clinched a famous win for the Seagulls.