Albion took the lead on 20 minutes through Elisabeth Terland of Norway, and Pauline Bremer doubled the lead four minutes later.
Just two minutes into the second half, City captain Megan Connolly managed to bring one back from a free-kick. However, Terland quickly equalized, and Tatiana Pinto added a fourth on 64 minutes.
City staged a comeback at that point, with goals from Brooke Aspin and Amalie Thestrup in three minutes setting up a thrilling finish. However, Brighton won in spectacular fashion with to goals from Vicky Losada (a penalty) and Katie Robinson, as well as from substitute Madison Haley.
City, who are now in last place in the league, now behind temporary head coach Mikey Harris’ squad by eight points as a consequence of the game.
The hosts took advantage of City’s lack of confidence—they haven’t won in ten WSL games since November 5 and have failed to keep a clean sheet this season—by scoring twice in the first half.
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— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) March 3, 2024
After Losada’s corner was helped on by Julia Zigiotti, Terland arrived at the back post to turn the ball in from close range for the goal. Then, after Bremer’s first shot had gone off the post, the ball was rolled into an unguarded net, extending Brighton’s lead.
City rallied from behind, as they have so frequently this season. Carrie Jones hit a curling drive from the edge of the 18-yard box challenging Brighton keeper Sophie Baggaley, and Lisa Evans missed a golden opportunity to score.
Three minutes after the break, the home team went back on the scoreboard thanks to Connolly’s incredible free-kick, which he curled past Baggaley and into the top right corner of the net following Amy Rodgers’s foul on the edge of the box.
Six minutes later, though, Brighton doubled their lead thanks to a goal by Terland, who collected a loose ball sixteen yards out and finished with precision, beating Olivia Clark to score her eleventh goal of the season.
After Pinto extended Brighton’s lead in the 64th minute, it seemed like the game had lost all relevance.
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— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) March 3, 2024
Nevertheless, Aspin’s goal from the corner kept the Robins in the game, and City were once again in the game when Thestrup scored a goal from 12 yards out following a pass from Ffion Morgan.
But Brighton weathered further attacks and scored three goals in stoppage time to seal the deal.
In the 89th minute, Haley scored from close range. In the 92nd minute, when Connolly fouled Robinson, Losada converted from the penalty spot. In the sixth of ten minutes of extra time, Robinson sealed the deal.