On March 15, 2025, the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium, halting Brighton's impressive six-match winning streak.
The match commenced with high stakes, as Manchester City strived to maintain their position within the top five for Champions League qualification. Conversely, Brighton aimed to close the gap on their rivals, sitting just one point behind City before kickoff.
Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma was among the players to watch. Early on, he displayed remarkable agility, creating chances within the first three minutes with his explosive speed. His crossing ability came to the forefront when he connected on the 7th minute with a curling ball from Jack Hinshelwood. Mitoma dove to direct the ball toward the net but collided with City's goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega. Although the net bulged from the impact, the referee ruled it out for a foul, denying Brighton what appeared to be the opening goal. Mitoma could be seen expressing his disbelief as the play was reviewed by the officials.
City capitalized quickly on Brighton's missed opportunity. Just two minutes later, on the 9th minute, City’s Omar Marmoush was fouled inside the penalty area by Brighton’s Adam Webster, resulting in a penalty. Star striker Erling Haaland converted the spot-kick, handing City the lead and marking his 84th goal in just 94 Premier League appearances. This remarkable achievement made him the fastest player to reach 100 goal involvements (goals and assists combined) in league history, with 16 of those being assists.
Despite trailing, Brighton refused to back down. They evened the score on the 21st minute when club captain Pervis Estupinan expertly struck from a free-kick positioned just outside the penalty area. His effort expertly curved off the left post and landed inside the net, much to the euphoria of the travelling Brighton supporters.
The game continued with both teams trading blows before City regained the lead again on the 39th minute. After stealing the ball high up the pitch, Marmoush launched a shot from the penalty area, beating Brighton's goalkeeper with ease and making the score 2-1.
The second half witnessed Brighton pushing for another equalizer. Their determination bore fruit mere minutes after the restart when they equalized again on the 48th minute. After another corner kick, Webster's header saw its direction altered unexpectedly off defender Abdoulaye Dukuré, resulting in a fluke own goal - truly luck shining upon Brighton and bringing the score to 2-2.
Brighton's coach urged his players to build on this momentum, and the filigree of creativity continued. Noteworthy was Mitoma’s passing; he delivered adeptly to Joao Pedro on the 82nd minute, only for Pedro's shot to take flight over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
The closing stages saw substitutions on both sides: Brighton’s Mitoma and Minte made way for Adingra and Gurda respectively, as City introduced Kevin De Bruyne for the fading Marmoush. Both teams searched fervently for the victory, with opportunities to score seeming abundantly available. Yet, fortune waned as time dissolved; even as the four minutes of stoppage time elapsed, neither side could find the elusive third goal.
The match concluded with the scoreboard locked at 2-2, denying Brighton's continued run of victories, now halted at six games. Manchester City’s aspirations remain engaged for tournament qualification, as they continue to edge forward on league standings.
The bittersweet draw left both teams reflecting on narrow missed chances, especially Brighton's supporters, who were recently buoyant with anticipation following victorious outings. Further, Mitoma's disallowed goal added to the narrative of the match as his potential impact was palpable. It remains to be seen how Brighton will reconcile this draw as they gear up for the final push of the season.