Brighton stunned Man City by coming from behind before dumping the Premier League side out on penalties.
Brighton claim late equaliser before clinching shoot-out success
Brighton stunned Manchester City by coming from behind before dumping the Premier League side out on penalties.
Big-spending City are targeting European glory after their lucrative takeover and Robinho and co turned on the style to stun Portsmouth 6-0 on Sunday.
But it was a return to the bad old days for the long-suffering Blues at the Withdean Stadium as the League One hosts claimed a 2-2 draw after extra-time before winning 5-3 on penalties.
So while Brighton have reached the third round for the first time in 14 years, City have now been knocked out in the second round three times in the last four years.
City looked destined to progress after they finally broke the deadlock through Gelson Fernandes' deflected effort in the 64th minute.
The wealthy visitors would rue their missed chances, though, as Glenn Murray pounced a minute from time to send the game into extra-time before substitute Joe Anyinsah gave Brighton a shock lead in the 95th minute.
Stephen Ireland looked like he might have spared City's blushes with a 108th-minute equaliser but Brighton prevailed in the shoot-out with Dutch goalkeeper Michel Kuipers capping a superb performance by denying Michael Ball before Matt Richards converted the winning spot-kick.
Strong line-up
Despite making six changes to the side that pummelled Pompey, Mark Hughes fielded a strong line-up in City's first public appearance since being anointed the 'richest club in the world' by the £200million Abu Dhabi United Group's takeover.
But they took a long time to impose themselves on the battling League One side, who lost at home to nine-man Walsall on Saturday, with Daniel Sturridge's tame effort their only shot on target in the opening stages.
Brighton almost grabbed a surprise lead in the 20th minute when they put stand-in skipper Steve Thomson through on the right, only to see his 10-yard effort come back off the inside of Kasper Schmeichel's near post before being hacked clear.
Tommy Fraser then had a shot blocked by Tal Ben Haim, who rampaged forward shortly after as City took charge.
The Israeli defender exchanged passes with Ireland to make his way into the Brighton box, and although Ireland turned his pull-back goalwards, Tommy Elphick cleared the danger.
Fit-again City midfielder Michael Johnson thought he played Jo in but Kuipers was out quickly to block the Brazilian's shot, while Richard Dunne headed over from Ireland's corner.
Kuipers stood firm again to deny Johnson at his near post after good work by Pablo Zabaleta and Ireland on the City right, before Jo volleyed wide from the resulting corner.
Johnson sliced wide just before the break after Zabaleta squared into the box and City piled on the pressure after the restart, with Vincent Kompany finding Ireland in the box before Jo fired straight at Kuipers from his lay-off.
Gelson then missed a great opportunity to open the scoring when he headed wide from six yards after Sturridge broke down the right.
Kompany turned Ireland's corner over as the chances continued to come and go for City before they finally broke the deadlock.
Jo cut across the box and laid off for Gelson, who tried to curl a 12-yard effort inside the far post and Elphick diverted the ball past his own keeper.
Kuipers twice did well to prevent City substitute Ched Evans adding a second and sealing it for City.
Late leveller
And those saves proved vital as Murray grabbed a surprise equaliser.
Schmeichel had done well to deny Murray moments earlier from a rare Brighton opportunity, but City did not heed that warning as Murray scored from close range after good work by Thomson down the left.
Anyinsah sent a free header wide at the start of extra-time but again City failed to take note as the on-loan Preston striker turned in the box and beat Schmeichel with a 12-yard strike that crept in the corner.
Hughes threw on Elano for Johnson in a bid to salvage the tie for City and Ireland latched onto a long ball to steer the ball past the onrushing Kuipers.
City were unable to claim a winner, though, and the first seven penalty takers were all successful before Kuipers palmed out Ball's tame effort to his right.
Richards then kept his cool to secure a third-round home tie at home to Derby and send a record home crowd of 8,729 flooding onto the pitch.
| Brighton & Hove Albion |
Team Statistics |
Manchester City |
| 2 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
10 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
11 |
| 0 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 4 |
Corners |
7 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
9 |
| 9 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 50.2 |
Possession |
49.8 |
|
