Liverpool released in the round of 16 of the Cup by Brighton (2-1)

Nothing is going in favor of the Reds this season. After leading briefly in the score and regaining some offensive momentum, they cracked in the last moments on the lawn of Brighton, Sunday, in the 16th final of the FA Cup. Against a team that has scored 20 goals in its last six games, including a 3-0 win against Liverpool in the league, Liverpool’s players have been quite up to the task defensively. But Jürgen Klopp’s men finally cracked and lost a great opportunity to win a title this season.

Elliott had started the Reds well

On a nicely led counter, Harvey Elliott – decisive scorer against Wolverhampton (1-0) in the previous round, where the match had to be replayed – had nevertheless opened the scoring at the half-hour mark (0-1, 30th). But less than ten minutes later, on a corner badly pushed back, a recovery from Tariq Lamptey at 22 meters was deflected by Lewis Dunk to take Alisson on the wrong foot (1-1, 39th). As we headed straight for a parity scoreline, and Fabinho had escaped a red card for a tackle from behind on Evan Ferguson’s Achilles heel, the match turned the wrong way again for Liverpool.

On a free kick, the ball reached Pervis Estupiñán who gave a bell on the other side of the goal for Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese, after controlling, had the presence of mind to add a second juggle to eliminate Joe Gomez before scoring from outside the right, at the corner of six meters (2-1, 90 + 2). Author of six goals and two assists in his last eleven matches, Mitoma is the symbol of this Brighton team which has fully recovered from the departure of Graham Potter to Chelsea at the start of the season to flourish even more under the orders of Roberto de Zerbi.