Premier League – 4-3 on penalties to eliminate Brighton Manchester City and secure a place in the quarterfinals.

The fourth round of the 2026/27 English League Cup continued with a key match. Manchester City, playing at home at the Etihad Stadium, equalized in regular time thanks to goals from Kovacic and Vitor Reis, and eventually eliminated Brighton 4-3 on penalties.

Seven minutes into the game, Manchester City launched an attack. Laryan Sherky received the ball and fired a long-range shot from near the penalty area, but Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele caught the ball.

In the 12th minute, Rajen Scherki was brought down by Brighton defender Swoboda while attempting a breakthrough, resulting in a free kick for Manchester City. Scherki took the free kick, but the ball hit the wall. In the 20th minute, Brighton attempted a counter-attack, with Ruttel receiving the ball and firing a long-range shot, but the ball was easily caught by Manchester City goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

In the 29th minute, Yassin Ayari passed the ball to Gross, whose long-range shot went wide. In the 30th minute, Ruttel dealt with the defense in the penalty area and passed back to Yarkuye, who fired a low shot into the net, giving Brighton a 1-0 lead. In the 35th minute, Brighton continued their attack, with Yassin Ayari receiving the ball and firing a long-range shot, but the ball went wide of the goal.

In the 40th minute, Foden dribbled past his defender and passed the ball back to Kovacic at the edge of the penalty area. Kovacic then unleashed a long-range shot that struck the post and bounced into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for Manchester City. In the 43rd minute, Ayub Bouadi took a corner kick, and Gue headed the ball towards goal, but it went wide.

In the 47th minute of the second half, Jawan Hajam dribbled into the penalty area and passed back to Ruttel, who slotted the ball home to give Brighton a 2-1 lead over Manchester City. In the 57th minute, a Brighton corner was cleared, and Boscalli, at the edge of the penalty area, fired a long-range shot that went wide.

In the 60th minute, Yassin Ayari made a long pass, and Ruter received the ball and shot, but it went wide of the post. In the 68th minute, Rajan Sherkhi made a diagonal pass, and Rico Lewis followed up with a shot from inside the penalty area, but it went wide.

In the 72nd minute, Rajan Scherki took a free kick and shot directly, the ball deflecting off Vitor Reis's foot and into the net, leveling the score at 2-2 for Manchester City. In the 83rd minute, Rajan Scherki passed the ball to Foden, who followed up with a long-range shot, but it was blocked by an opposing player.

In the first half stoppage time, Rajan Sherki received a pass from Foden and took a shot, but it was cleared. With the score tied 2-2 at the end of regulation time, the match went to penalties.

In the first round, Foden and Gross both converted their penalties. In the second round, Enzo and Matt O'Reilly also scored. In the third round, Doku and De Klopp also converted their penalties.

In the fourth round, Kovacic's penalty was saved by Jason Steele, while Yassin Ayari's penalty was also saved by Gironimo Rulli. In the fifth round, Rajan Serki scored a penalty, while Lewis Dunk's penalty was saved by Gironimo Rulli.

Manchester City ultimately defeated Brighton 4-3 on penalties, securing their place in the League Cup quarterfinals.

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