Manchester City kept their Carabao Cup title defence alive after defeating Brighton and Hove Albion 4-3 on penalties at the Etihad Stadium. The dramatic fourth-round encounter ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, with City coming from behind twice before Gerónimo Rulli emerged as the penalty-shootout hero.
Malick Yalcouyé and Georginio Rutter scored for Brighton, while Mateo Kovačić and Vitor Reis responded for Manchester City. Rulli then saved Brighton’s final two penalties before Rayan Cherki converted the decisive spot kick to send City into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Brighton Take the Lead Through Malick Yalcouyé
Manchester City entered the game with a heavily rotated squad as Enzo Maresca gave several younger and fringe players an opportunity. Rico Lewis, Vitor Reis, Nico O’Reilly, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Floyd Samba were among those trusted to start.
Brighton were also much changed, but the visitors settled into the contest and created the better chances during the opening half-hour. Their positive approach was rewarded in the 30th minute.
Jack Hinshelwood helped Brighton work the ball into a dangerous position before Rutter fired towards goal. Yalcouyé reacted quickly and diverted the effort past Rulli to give the Seagulls a deserved 1-0 lead.
City responded rather than allowing Brighton to take complete control. Their equaliser arrived five minutes before half-time when Phil Foden found Kovačić near the edge of the penalty area. The Croatian midfielder guided a precise low shot in off the post, leaving Jason Steele unable to keep it out.
The goal brought Manchester City level at 1-1 and restored confidence before the interval.
Georginio Rutter Restores Brighton’s Advantage
Brighton made another fast start after the break and regained the lead just 77 seconds into the second half.
A well-constructed move down the right ended with Jaouen Hadjam delivering a cutback for Rutter. The forward swept his finish beyond Rulli to make it 2-1.
Brighton could have extended their advantage as Rutter continued to trouble the City defence. Rulli produced an important save to push one curling effort onto the crossbar before Rutter later rounded the goalkeeper but fired into the side-netting from a difficult angle.
Those missed opportunities proved costly.
Vitor Reis Forces a Penalty Shootout
Manchester City introduced Jérémy Doku as they searched for another response. The winger’s pace and direct running increased the pressure on Brighton’s defence, while Cherki continued to look dangerous from attacking midfield.
City equalised for a second time in the 72nd minute. Cherki sent a powerful low free-kick into the penalty area, where it took a touch off Vitor Reis and beat Steele.
It was Reis’ first goal for Manchester City and one of the most important moments of the defender’s young career.
Brighton still came close to winning the game before full-time, with Mats Wieffer striking the woodwork during the closing stages. Neither team found a third goal, however, sending the Carabao Cup tie to penalties.
Gerónimo Rulli Becomes Manchester City’s Shootout Hero
Both teams converted their opening three penalties. Phil Foden, Enzo Fernández and Doku scored for City, while Pascal Groß, Matt O’Riley and Maxim De Cuyper answered for Brighton.
The shootout appeared to swing in Brighton’s favour when Steele saved Kovačić’s penalty. However, Rulli immediately responded by denying Yasin Ayari.
Cherki then stepped forward and calmly converted City’s fifth attempt. Brighton captain Lewis Dunk needed to score to keep his team in the competition, but Rulli guessed correctly and made his second consecutive save.
The Argentine goalkeeper’s heroics secured a 4-3 shootout victory and a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the holders.
Cherki and City’s Young Players Impress
Although Rulli produced the decisive moments, Cherki was another standout performer. The Frenchman was involved in City’s second equaliser before confidently scoring the winning penalty.
The match also demonstrated Manchester City’s impressive squad depth. Maresca was able to rest several established stars while still fielding a team capable of recovering from difficult positions.
Reis marked his opportunity with a goal, while Rico Lewis provided energy and composure. The performance was not perfect—Brighton created enough chances to win comfortably—but City showed resilience when it mattered most.
Brighton can take encouragement from their display despite the elimination. They led twice, competed confidently at the Etihad and were only denied by Rulli’s penalty saves.
What the Victory Means for Manchester City
Manchester City will face Bradford City in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals as they continue their attempt to retain the trophy.
More importantly, the victory showed that City can rely on players throughout the squad during a demanding season. Their ability to recover after falling behind twice will also give Maresca confidence ahead of upcoming domestic and European fixtures.
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Final score: Manchester City 2-2 Brighton
Penalty shootout: Manchester City win 4-3
City scorers: Mateo Kovačić, Vitor Reis
Brighton scorers: Malick Yalcouyé, Georginio Rutter
Player of the match: Gerónimo Rulli
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