Chelsea’s struggles in domestic competitions continued as they suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat against Brighton at the Amex Stadium, crashing out of the FA Cup and extending their six-year trophy drought.
The match started promisingly for the Blues when they were gifted an early lead in the fifth minute due to a calamitous error by Brighton’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen. Attempting to catch a routine cross from Chelsea’s in-form midfielder Cole Palmer, the Dutch shot-stopper misjudged the ball, allowing it to slip through his hands and into the net. It was a nightmare moment for Verbruggen, handing Chelsea an unexpected advantage.
However, Enzo Maresca’s side failed to capitalize on the momentum. Brighton, determined to bounce back from their humiliating 7-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest the previous week, responded just seven minutes later. A well-worked move saw defender Joel Veltman deliver a precise cross into the Chelsea penalty area. Georginio Rutter rose between Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo, expertly directing his header into the far corner beyond Robert Sánchez to level the score.
Chelsea struggled to regain control of the game, and Brighton continued to grow in confidence. Their perseverance paid off in the 57th minute when Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma produced a moment of brilliance. Receiving a pass inside the box, Mitoma showed his quick feet to evade his marker before delicately chipping the ball past Chelsea’s keeper despite protests from the visitors, who claimed a handball in the buildup.
The goal proved to be the winner, knocking Chelsea out of the FA Cup and adding more pressure on Maresca, whose side now faces another season without silverware.