Brighton overcome Chelsea to secure FA Cup 5th round spot
What's the story
Brighton and Hove Albion have comfortably progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Chelsea.
The match saw a remarkable turnaround for Brighton, as they recovered from an early setback due to their own goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen's unfortunate error.
This win has significantly eased some pressure off Seagulls manager Fabian Hurzeler, after last week's disappointing 7-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Match turnaround
Brighton recover from early setback in FA Cup clash
The match started on a bad note for Brighton as Verbruggen accidentally deflected Cole Palmer's cross into his own net in the first five minutes.
However, Chelsea's recent woes of holding on to leads were on display as they conceded an equalizer just seven minutes later.
Georginio Rutter expertly headed Joel Veltman's cross past ex-Seagulls goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, leveling the scoreline and setting up a dramatic second half.
Decisive moment
Mitoma's 2nd-half goal seals Brighton's victory
The match's decisive moment arrived after half-time when Kaoru Mitoma expertly turned a Rutter pass into a goal.
His exquisite finish over Sanchez sealed Brighton's lead and ultimately their victory.
This cup tie showcased Chelsea's recurring problem of throwing away leads, as well as their lack of firepower upfront.
Since Boxing Day, they have taken the lead but failed to win on five separate occasions.
Upcoming rematch
Brighton end mini-slump with FA Cup victory
Brighton's win against Chelsea ended their streak of consecutive Premier League defeats. The Seagulls will head to Monday's fifth-round draw with newfound confidence.
Chelsea, however, will get a chance to redeem themselves next week when the two sides meet again on Valentine's Day, in a match that will be live on Sky Sports's Friday Night Football.