City 2 Albion 2 (4-3 on penalties): Albion exit Carabao Cup despite terrific display

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Albion twice took the lead but ultimately couldn't hold on to their advantage.

Charlie Hanson

2026-10-28T21:15+00:00

Georginio Rutter runs over to celebrate with the away fans. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties as they drew 2-2 at Manchester City in normal time, before losing 4-3 on spot-kicks.

Having become the first team to come from two goals down to win at Old Trafford in 50 years - a first victory at City at the 17th attempt would have been another slice of history enjoyed by Albion.

They avoided being 2-0 down in the opening ten minutes as they had done in the previous round, with the only early chance going the way of Rayan Cherki, whose mazy run and pop shot from 20 yards was an easy one for Jason Steele to gather.

Albion were their typical aggressive selves out of possession. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Brighton were typically brave out of possession. That word ‘suffocating’, an adjective frequently used these days when describing this team and perfectly sums up how they went above their work.

That determination paid dividends after 30 minutes. Diego Gomez won possession on the right and from there City were in trouble. Jack Hinshelwood received the ball in the box from the Paraguayan and pulled it back to Georginio Rutter. The ex-Leeds man fired in a cross and Malick Yalcouye was there to steer home from close, although City keeper Geronimo Rulli got a large touch on it.

Malick Yalcouye has scored two goals in the Premier League this season. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Depending on what your opinion is on two-footed challenges, Ayyoub Bouaddi could probably consider himself a lucky man to receive only a yellow card for a lunging challenge on Yalcouye just after the opener.

The highly-rated teenager was just one of a host of stars in the City team that started and it was another who levelled things up with five minutes to go of the first half. Four-time Champions League winner Matteo Kovacic curled in from 20 yards after a fine move from the hosts - the ball placed perfectly to go in off the post past Steele who was at full stretch.

Yasin Ayari attempted an audacious lob with the last action before the break to keep up our excellent streak this season of shooting from range, although it drifted wide of the target.

As if to prove that pressing monsters isn't their only setting, Albion kept possession for a minute after the restart with Georginio rounding off a 20-pass move when he fired in from Jaouen Hadjam's pull-back to make it 2-1 with his third goal of the season.

Georgino Rutter clearly enjoyed making it 2-1 to Albion. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion had found another gear and it was only a save out of the top drawer from Rulli that kept City in the game. Georginio curled a sumptuous strike towards the top right corner but the City stopper tipped it onto the top of the crossbar.

Fabian Hurzeler said earlier this season that the competition that Babis Kostoulas is providing Georginio with this campaign is helping take both their games to a new level. It's fair to say that Rutter was a key figure on the night and the only slightly sour note for him was the missed opportunity to square the ball after rounding Rulli, but caught in two minds he blasted the ball into the side netting.

A stunning effort on a Wednesday night from our travelling supporters. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

The failure to extend their lead was punished as City made it 2-2 with 72 minutes played. Cherki's free-kick from the edge of the box deflected off Vitor Reis and passed a diving Steele - given the quality of the goals up to that point it was a frustrating way to concede.

It sparked a near immediate response from the visitors as Georginio, who was narrowly offside, found Hadjam and he played in Gross. The German lifted the ball over the onrushing Rulli and into the back of the net, but the flag was already up.

The closing stages saw the return of welcome faces. Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer came on in the final 15 minutes after months missed to injuries, bolstering the ranks during a heavily saturated period of fixtures.

The upright would deny the Dutchman a late winner when he got the end of Maxim De Cuyper's corner, before Enzo Fernandez failed to connect with a Phil Foden free-kick that would have almost certainly steered City into the last eight had he got a touch.

There was a scintillating end to the content as Minteh curled an effort from the right of the box onto the roof of the net and no doubt we'd have seen a winner for one team had there been any more injury time. The whistle called time on the 90 minutes though and penalties would have to decide the victor.

Foden, Enzo and Jeremy Doku scored for City while Gross, Matt O'Riley and Maxim De Cuyper all netted to make it 3-3.

Jason Steele saved Kovacic's effort before Rulli denied Ayari. Cherki would nestle his penalty in the top corner and then Rulli would ultimately prove the hero, denying skipper Lewis Dunk as he dived to his left.

It was a painful way to exit the competition, but Albion couldn't ask for a better opportunity to put it right than this Saturday, as they prepare for round two at the Etihad, this time in the Premier League.

Albion: Steele, Costinha, Svoboda (Dunk 85), Boscagli, Hadjam, Gross (C), Ayari, Gomez (Minteh 76), Hinshelwood (De Cuyper 76), Yalcouye (Wieffer 81), Georginio (O'Riley 81).