Man City Beat Brighton on Penalties: Carabao Cup, Oct. 28, 2026

Man City Beat Brighton on Penalties: Carabao Cup, Oct. 28, 2026

Manchester City advanced past Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after a 2-2 draw and a 4-3 penalty-shootout win at the Etihad Stadium. City came from behind twice in regulation time before goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli saved Brighton's final two penalties. This is the EFL Cup fourth-round meeting, not the Premier League game Brighton won 1-0 on October 31.

Carabao Cup result at a glance

Who scored? The four goals in order

Brighton struck first when Rutter's low delivery was turned in by Yalcouyé on the half-hour. Kovačić made it level 10 minutes later, finding the net with a strike from outside the penalty area after a City move involving Phil Foden. The first half therefore finished all square despite Brighton having led.

The second half began with another change in the game's direction. Rutter finished Jaouen Hadjam's low cross to restore Brighton's advantage in the 47th minute. City were behind again, and unlike the later league match, they still found a response. Vitor Reis got in front of his marker to redirect Rayan Cherki's delivery in the 72nd minute, making it 2-2 and setting up the shootout.

Why the game kept swinging

The sequence matters because it was not a case of City racing into a lead and protecting it. Brighton repeatedly put the hosts under pressure by scoring first in each half. City had to respond to each setback with a different kind of attacking contribution: Kovačić's longer-range finish before halftime, then Reis's opportunistic touch from a set-piece delivery after the break.

City's selection also affected the feel of the game. The home side used several younger players, and second-half introductions provided different attacking options. The addition of Jérémy Doku gave City another direct outlet as they searched for the second equalizer. A competitive cup tie often shifts quickly when substitutions and one decisive finish change the pressure on both teams.

The penalty shootout, step by step

Both teams began the shootout strongly. Phil Foden, Enzo Fernández and Doku scored City's first three attempts, while Pascal Groß, Matt O'Riley and Maxim De Cuyper converted Brighton's first three. When Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele stopped Kovačić's fourth kick, City were temporarily in trouble. The shootout did not end there.

Rulli then denied Yasin Ayari, restoring City's chance to take control. Cherki scored City's fifth penalty, and Rulli saved Lewis Dunk's final Brighton attempt to complete the 4-3 shootout victory. The central point is that two Rulli saves—not extra-time goals—decided who reached the next round. The regulation score remains 2-2; the penalty result should be recorded separately.

Why Gerónimo Rulli was the standout

Rulli had already been required to make saves during open play, but he became the defining figure when the contest reached penalties. A goalkeeper can spend much of a shootout waiting for a single moment, and Rulli produced two consecutive interventions after City missed. That changed the direction of a sequence Brighton had appeared capable of winning.

It is also worth noting the difference between his cup role and the team's later Premier League selection. Rulli started this October 28 cup match; Gianluigi Donnarumma started the October 31 league fixture. Mixing their appearances, goals conceded or saves would create an inaccurate record of both matches.

What qualification meant for City

The victory moved Manchester City into the next round of the Carabao Cup. The club's official report subsequently identified Bradford City as the fifth-round opponent, with the tie scheduled for the week beginning December 14. That future fixture is context for cup progression, not part of the Brighton result itself; times or later developments should be checked again before changing the article.

For Brighton, the defeat was narrow: the visitors had taken the lead twice over 90 minutes and were a save away from changing the shootout narrative. Cup elimination did not mean City had beaten them in every encounter that week. Brighton returned to the Etihad three days later and won the Premier League match 1-0, a result that belongs in its own dated report.

Do not confuse the cup tie with the league rematch

The simplest way to distinguish them is by competition and result. October 28 was a Carabao Cup fourth-round match: 2-2, City advanced 4-3 on penalties. October 31 was a Premier League match: Brighton won 1-0 through Ayari's 11th-minute goal. Anyone searching for Manchester City versus Brighton without a date can encounter both; a clear publication should always identify the relevant one.

See Brighton’s October 31 Premier League victory over Manchester City

Review the separate October 31 Premier League team stats

Frequently asked questions

Who won Man City vs Brighton in the Carabao Cup?

Manchester City advanced after a 2-2 draw, winning the penalty shootout 4-3 on October 28, 2026.

Who scored in the 2-2 draw?

Malick Yalcouyé and Georginio Rutter scored for Brighton. Mateo Kovačić and Vitor Reis scored for Manchester City.

Who saved the decisive Brighton penalties?

Gerónimo Rulli denied Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk late in the shootout.

Was this the same game as Brighton’s 1-0 league win?

No. The cup tie took place on October 28, while Brighton’s 1-0 Premier League victory came on October 31.

Did the match go to extra time?

City’s official match account reports a 2-2 score after 90 minutes followed by a penalty shootout; do not label the 4-3 penalties as extra-time goals.