4 goals and a nervous shootout at the Etihad: Manchester City barely gets past the Brighton hurdle

29 October 2026, 07:51·60·Sport

In the round of 16 of the English League Cup, fans witnessed a truly goal-rich and dramatic clash. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City hosted Brighton at home and snatched victory in a hard-fought battle for both sides.

The fate of the match, which ended in a 2:2 draw in regular time, was decided in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. In the lottery-like series, the "Citizens" showed their skill, winning 4:3 and securing a spot in the quarterfinals.

Goal rain at the Etihad: Key events of the match

From the very first minutes, the match was played with open and intense counter-attacks:

Brighton's quick strike: In the 30th minute, guest player Yalcouye opened the scoring, taking advantage of a gap in City's defense (0:1);
Kovacic's response: In the 40th minute, experienced Mateo Kovacic equalized for the hosts, sending the teams into the break with a draw (1:1);
Pressure in the second half: At the start of the second half, in the 47th minute, "Seagulls" striker Rutter once again put Brighton in the lead (1:2);
Reiss's savior goal: The relentless "Citizens" equalized again in the 72nd minute thanks to an accurate strike by Reiss (2:2).

Husanov's entry and the lottery victory

For Uzbek football fans, one of the most notable moments of the match was our defender joining the game:

Husanov in the center of defense: In the 76th minute of the match, the coaching staff brought on our compatriot Abduqodir Husanov from the bench to replace Rico Lewis. The defender acted reliably in repelling opponent attacks for the remainder of the time;
Heroics in the penalty shootout: After regular time ended, the winner was determined by penalties. City players and their goalkeeper showed composure, sealing a 4:3 victory.

Protocol details

English League Cup. Round of 16

Manchester City — Brighton 2:2 (penalty shootout: 4:3)

Goals: Kovacic (40), Reiss (72) — Yalcouye (30), Rutter (47);
Manchester City lineup: Rulli, Lewis (Abduqodir Husanov, 76), Reiss, O'Reilly (Fernandes, 87), Bouaddi (Ait-Nouri, 46), Guehi, Foden, Cherki, Kovacic, Allan (Doku, 61), Samba (Macedo, 46);
Yellow cards: Bouaddi (32) — Svoboda (11), Wieffer (90+1), Dunk (90+2).

Manchester City successfully passed a difficult test and continues its journey toward the League Cup trophy, while Husanov's participation in this contest shows that his role in the team is strengthening.