Newcastle United 1-2 Brighton: Seagulls come from behind to defeat Magpies in extra time

Brighton came back from 1-0 down to defeat Newcastle United 2-1 at St. James’ Park and secure progression to the FA Cup quarter finals for the first time in two years.

Alexander Isak’s first half penalty gave the hosts the lead, and he might’ve made it two before the break if not for the linesman’s flag.

Yankuba Minteh marked his return to Newcastle with a goal right before halftime, with a pair of red cards for Anthony Gordon and Tariq Lamptey setting up a grand stand finish.

Right at the end, Fabian Schär thought he’d won it with a thumping volley, but once more the goal was chalked off for an early run.

It took until extra time for the winning goal to hit the back of the net, as substitute Danny Welbeck’s late chip secured the victory and a quarter final spot for Brighton.

As it happened

For two sides yearning for silverware, this game meant everything. Newcastle are without a major trophy in exactly 70 years and Brighton, for their part, are chasing their first ever. The hosts have their spot in the Carabao Cup final confirmed, but a return to the quarter finals of the FA Cup for the first time would be a fine addition. There was a lot on the line at St. James’ Park.

That was evident from the start. The game’s beginning wasn’t cagey per se, but it was messy. Missed passes and turnovers in possession were a regular occasion, with neither side taking full control of proceedings.

Still, Newcastle were the side looking more threatening. The first chances fell to Isak in the third minute, first heading goalwards at the back post only for Adam Webster to make the block, before firing the rebound over on the volley.

As for Brighton’s start, they were rather blunt going forward, with nice patterns of play seldom resulting in real opportunities.

Newcastle, however, would soon get a slice of luck that allowed them to take the lead, as Tino Livramento, in the box but far from in a scoring position, passed the ball to a more central Anthony Gordon. As he did so, Minteh crashed into him. It was needless, but a clear penalty.

Isak stepped up and smashed his penalty into the top left corner. Bart Verbruggen went the right way, but he might as well not have bothered; two goalkeepers would’ve struggled to save a strike with such venom.

Brighton’s initial response resembled much of their earlier play. Good football in spots, yes. Final product, not so much.

Just after the half hour mark, Isak thought he’d doubled the lead. Harvey Barnes slipped his striker in behind the Brighton defence, and he wasted no time in smashing the ball past a helpless Verbruggen. If only Barnes hadn’t waited a tad too long to play the ball, it would’ve been two, but the linesman’s flag quickly muted the celebrations.

Half time was approaching. Newcastle were going to take a deserved lead into the break. Until they weren’t.

Out of nothing, just before the whistle, Brighton were level. João Pedro slipped one ball in behind, and that was that. The Newcastle defence was taken out of the picture, allowing Minteh to race through on goal and slot a finish into Martin Dúbravka’s near post with the aid of a deflection from a desperately lunging Kieran Trippier.

Minteh had now given away a penalty and scored the equaliser just before halftime; quite the return to his former club.

The second half was one of nearly moments. Ten minutes in, there was a big chance for João Pedro, who attacked a loose Livramento ball and fired a shot towards the bottom corner and ultimately into the arms of Dúbravka.

But besides that, it was close but no cigar, like when Livramento stuck a cross up into the six-yard box which flew just above the head of substitute Joe Willock, or when Mitoma squared into an empty six-yard box, or when Jacob Murphy tried to slip Isak through on goal but instead sent the ball out for a goal kick. Both sides were writing stories with no endings.

And then, a moment of madness with eight minutes left. Isak was played in behind. The flag was up. The game had halted. Out of nowhere and nothing, Gordon tussled with Jan Paul van Hecke and, with frustration in his face and force in his arms, he shoved the Dutchman in the face. Anthony Taylor wasted no time producing the red card, one as needless and rash as you’re likely to ever see, and it means Gordon will miss the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

Brighton moved to make the most of their man advantage. Shots from Hinshelwood and Lamptey were blocked and flew wide, The Seagulls on the ascendency.

But there was still time for another twist to the tale. Murphy was breaking and Lamptey crashed into him. Having already been booked, he was shown another yellow and withdrawn. It was 10 apiece, Newcastle now with a free kick in a perfect crossing position.

Bruno Guimarães stood over it and sent a wicked delivery into the box. Schär made his move and hit a thumping volley past a flailing Verbruggen. Newcastle had won it right at the end. That was until VAR and semi-automated offside got involved. His move was a fraction early and the goal chalked off. Extra time beckoned for the depleted sides.

There was just the one moment of goalmouth action in the first half. Diego Gómez blasted an effort from outside the area which was excellently saved by an outstretched Dúbravka. Seconds later, Mats Wieffer tried his luck with a similar shot, which struck the hand of Livramento before going out for a corner, albeit a hand much too close to his body to be considered handball.

After 15 minutes of half chances, the winning goal finally hit the back of the net after two substitutes combined. Solly March spotted Welbeck darting into the box, Livramento sat too far back from the rest of his defensive line. The striker received the ball, and with the deftest of touches dinked it over Dúbravka and into the roof of the net. Brighton, right at the end, had won the day.

Newcastle will have to settle for one Wembley trip this season, with their upcoming Carabao Cup final now their only shot at silverware. Between now and then is a Premier League clash with West Ham United, but one thing is true for both games: Anthony Gordon will not be there.

It’s a return to the FA Cup quarter finals for Brighton, though, now back in the final eight after last season’s fifth round exit. Their next game will see them host Fulham in the Premier League, and they’ll discover their quarter final opponent on Sunday evening.

For now, though, in the clash of the birds, it’s The Seagulls who’ve bested The Magpies.

The lineups

NEW: Dúbravka; Trippier, Schär, Burn, Livramento; Miley, Tonali, Joelinton; Barnes, Isak, Gordon

BHA: Verbruggen; Lamptey, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupiñán; Baleba, Hinshelwood; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; João Pedro