Brighton & Hove Albion advanced to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Newcastle United after extra time on March 2, 2025. The match, held at St. James' Park, featured momentum shifts and dramatic moments, culminating with Brighton's late winner.
Newcastle kicked off the match confidently, establishing early control and making their mark just 22 minutes in. A foul by Brighton's Yankuba Minte on Valentino Livramento led to a penalty kick, which Alexander Isak converted successfully, placing Newcastle 1-0 up. The atmosphere was electric as the home crowd erupted, believing their team was on course for victory.
Yet, Brighton's resolve was impressive as they sought to fight back. Just before halftime, Yankuba Minte made amends for his earlier foul by scoring the equalizer at the 44-minute mark. Displaying quick footwork, Minte snuck the ball past Newcastle's defense, leveling the score at 1-1, which reinvigorated the visiting supporters.
The second half witnessed increased tension and physicality. Newcastle's Anthony Gordon was shown a red card for unsporting behavior after clashing with Brighton's defense, leaving his team to continue with ten men. This sent ripples through the squad, as they strategized defensively with limited manpower.
Brighton did not capitalize on their numerical advantage easily. The match took another twist when, during stoppage time, Brighton's Tariq Lamptey received his second yellow card, leaving both teams down to ten players. The excitement peaked as Newcastle's Fabian Schär found the net after cutting through Brighton’s defense, only for the goal to be disallowed due to being offside—an agonizing moment to grasp for the home fans.
With neither team able to secure the win during the 90 minutes, the match proceeded to extra time, where tension reached its zenith. The 114th minute proved pivotal as Danny Welbeck, seizing on defensive errors by Newcastle, netted the winning goal for Brighton. The stadium erupted with mixed emotions—celebration for the Brighton fans and despair for Newcastle supporters.
This 2-1 triumph sees Brighton join the ranks of teams advancing to the quarter-finals, alongside established clubs like Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Preston North End, Bournemouth, and Manchester City. The draw for the next round will take place on the same day, March 2, leaving fans eager to see which teams will get to face off next.
1-2 remains the final score, with players from both sides having memorable performances, but none more so than Welbeck, whose decisiveness marked him out as the hero of the night. The victory reinforces Brighton's ambitions and highlights the competitive nature of this season's FA Cup.