 Richards is engulfed by Brighton players after his winner
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Manchester City suffered an embarrassing Carling Cup exit after being beaten on penalties by Brighton.
Brighton’s Steve Thomson struck the post before a deflected Gelson Fernandes strike put City in front.
Glenn Murray fired in to send the game into extra-time and Joe Anyinsah turned and shot home to put Brighton ahead.
Stephen Ireland equalised, but Michael Ball missed in the penalty shoot-out and Matthew Richards held his nerve to send League One Brighton through.
Brighton keeper Michael Kuipers had saved from Ball with the home side up 4-3 on spot-kicks.
Richards stepped up to take the penalty needed to secure Brighton’s victory and he made no mistake as he sent his side through at the expense of their illustrious Premier League opponents.
The result will bring City, who were without Robinho, back down to earth after their recent takeover by the billionaire Abu Dhabi United Group and the 6-0 romp against Portsmouth on Sunday.
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606: DEBATE
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Brighton will now play Derby in the third round and the victory comes after they suffered the ignominy of being beaten by nine-man Walsall last weekend.
The Seagulls had gone close when Thomson’s shot came back off the post but they had wasteful City finishing and Kuipers to thank for keeping them level until the 64th minute.
Richard Dunne headed over for the visitors, while Michael Johnson skewed a shot wide.
Brazilian striker Jo was denied by Dutch keeper Kuipers before Fernandes failed to head in from a Daniel Sturridge cross.
Fernandes atoned for his miss with the opener when Jo latched on to Ireland’s pass on the edge of the area and turned it unselfishly aside for his team-mate.
Kuipers impressively saved from Ireland and Ched Evans before Murray made City pay for their misses when he slotted in after keeper Kasper Schmeichel parried Thomson’s effort on 89 minutes.
Anyinsah lashed them ahead five minutes into extra-time but Ireland’s reply 10 minutes later forced the shoot-out.
The first seven penalty takers kept their nerve to score with aplomb before Kuipers saved from Ball and Richards, on loan from Ipswich, scored the winner.
Brighton: Kuipers, Whing (Cook 85), El-Abd, Thomson, Richards, Livermore, Murray, Loft (Anyinsah 68), Fraser (Cox 74), Virgo, Elphick.
Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Hart, Robinson, Wills.
Booked: Livermore, El-Abd.
Goals: Murray 89, Anyinsah 95.
Man City: Schmeichel, Zabaleta, Dunne, Ben-Haim, Michael Ball, Kompany, Ireland, Johnson (Elano 102), Gelson, Sturridge (Evans 60), Jo (Caicedo 91).
Subs Not Used: Hart, Garrido, Hamann, Logan.
Goals: Gelson 64, Ireland 108.
Att: 8,729
Ref: Andy D’Urso (Essex).
