Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion: Mario Lemina scores winner as Wolves reach quarter-finals
- Published
FA Cup 2024: Early Mario Lemina goal helps Wolves beat Brighton
Mario Lemina scored the only goal of the game as Wolves beat Brighton to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, where they will host Championship side Coventry City.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele spilled a Jean-Ricner Bellegarde cross and Lemina slid in at the back post to finish at the second attempt after just two minutes.
Matt Doherty headed wide at the near post from Tommy Doyle's cross moments later as the home side began the game in the ascendency.
Danny Welbeck had a header off target before Steele of all people stabbed wide from a corner in the dying seconds, but Brighton were unable to find a goal as they exited the competition.
Wolves reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the third time this century, previously doing so in 2002-03 and 2018-19, but it came at a cost.
Hwang Hee-chan went down injured after kicking the ball in the 54th minute, holding his hamstring and looking inconsolable which could prove to be a damaging injury for Gary O'Neil's side.
Lemina, who was tackled down the back of his Achilles by Pascal Gross just before half-time, went off a minute later seemingly still struggling from the effects of that challenge.
Wolves' impressive season continues
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil celebrates beating Brighton to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals
When O'Neil came in as Wolves' manager three days before the Premier League season began, few fans would have expected them to be ninth in the table and into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
It was a close game which Brighton grew into but Wolves weathered the storm to progress.
The two sides played their second Premier League encounter of the season last month which ended goalless and this was a similarly close encounter.
Roberto De Zerbi's side had chances through Jakub Moder and Simon Adingra who both shot wide.
Pervis Estupinan's strike hit the arm of Max Kilman inside the box but Brighton's calls for a penalty were waved away while Facundo Buonanotte planted a header wide of the post in a frustrating evening for the Seagulls.
Pedro Neto came on as a second half substitute and was sent through on the counter, skipping past Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk but his shot in the box was blocked by Igor and he couldn't reach the rebound as Lemina's early goal was enough to secure the win at Molineux.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, O'Neil said: "The moment we travelled to Brentford to play in the third round we set out with the aim to obviously try and win the FA Cup.
"We know there are a huge amount of hurdles in the way and it's going to be really really tough but while you're in the competition, that has to be your aim.
"The lads are just taking the competition very very seriously and whoever we got in the next round, we were desperate to win again tonight," he continued.
"It was just an important game for us regardless of who we had but a home draw is good for us because we love playing here."
The quarter-finals are scheduled to take place across the weekend of Saturday, 16 March.