Newcastle vs Brighton FA Cup Report

Scorers: Isak 22’ (P); Minteh 44’, Welbeck 114’

Red cards: Gordon 83’; Lamptey 90+1’

Brighton & Hove Albion secured a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, with Danny Welbeck’s late strike proving decisive in a fiercely contested FA Cup fifth-round clash.

First Half: Isak’s Penalty Gives Newcastle the Lead

Newcastle welcomed Alexander Isak back from injury, and the Swedish striker nearly opened the scoring inside three minutes, meeting Harvey Barnes’ cross with a downward header that was blocked before blazing over the rebound.

Isak was again in the thick of the action, testing Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen after being set up by Anthony Gordon in the 16th minute.

However, it wasn’t long before the Magpies’ talisman found the breakthrough. Tino Livramento was fouled in the box by Yankuba Minteh, and Isak stepped up to convert emphatically from the penalty spot, netting his 22nd goal of the season.

The hosts thought they had doubled their lead in the 32nd minute when Barnes slipped Isak through to rifle into the net, but the offside flag correctly denied him.

Despite Newcastle’s dominance, Brighton hit back just before halftime, as Minteh raced onto João Pedro’s pass and squeezed the ball past Martin Dúbravka, sending the sides into the break level at 1-1.

Second Half: Controversy and Missed Chances

The second period saw both sides waste key opportunities. Pedro pounced on a misplaced pass from Livramento, but Dúbravka made a crucial stop.

At the other end, Jack Hinshelwood produced a brave block from Isak, while Joe Willock narrowly missed connecting with Livramento’s cross.

Brighton pressed for a winner late on, with Diego Gómez and Brajan Gruda both firing narrowly off target, before Newcastle were reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute.

Frustrated by an offside call, Gordon clashed with Jan Paul van Hecke and was shown a straight red card, a decision that could rule him out of the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

However, the numerical disadvantage was short-lived as Tariq Lamptey picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Jacob Murphy. Newcastle thought they had won it in stoppage time, when Fabian Schär volleyed home from a Bruno Guimarães free-kick, only for VAR to disallow the goal for offside.

Extra Time: Welbeck Strikes Late

With tensions rising, Brighton went closest in the first period of extra time as Welbeck set up Gómez, but Dúbravka produced a stunning save to keep the Magpies in it.

The decisive moment came late in the second period of extra time, when Newcastle were caught pushing forward and lost possession in their own half. Welbeck capitalized, lofting a composed finish over Dúbravka, sending Brighton into the quarter-finals.

Dan Burn came close to forcing penalties with a late attempt that flashed wide, but Newcastle’s FA Cup journey ended in disappointment.

What’s Next?

• Brighton: Fabian Hürzeler’s side advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals, continuing their strong cup run while chasing European qualification in the league.
• Newcastle: Eddie Howe’s side suffer FA Cup heartbreak, but their focus now shifts to the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, where they can end their long trophy drought.

For more info on this game, you may also visit:
Fixtures – Emirates FA Cup – Competitions | The Football Association