Madison Haley delivered a standout performance, finding the back of the net twice as Brighton overturned an early deficit to defeat title‑chasing Manchester City 3-2 in a thrilling Women's Super League encounter. The match began with City asserting dominance, earning an opening goal through a well‑timed through ball to Kerolin.
Despite the early advantage, the English side could not maintain control, and in first‑half stoppage time the American forward Haley equalised, catching City off guard and shifting the momentum. After the break, Brighton seized the initiative when Kiko Seike struck to put the visitors ahead, capitalising on a lapse in City’s defensive shape. Haley, determined to restore balance, responded swiftly with her second goal, restoring parity and reigniting Brighton's belief.
The contest remained tightly contested until the closing stages, when Khadija Shaw managed to pull a late goal back for City, setting up a dramatic finale. However, the home side held firm, preserving their lead and handing City their third league defeat of the campaign. Andree Jeglertz’s Manchester City entered the match hoping to close the gap on the WSL title, which they have not won since 2016.
Yet, despite being in contention, they now require five points from their remaining two fixtures to stay in the race, as third‑placed Arsenal sit on three games in hand. The loss underscores the fine margins in a tightly contested title chase. In post‑match comments to Sky Sports, Jeglertz reflected on the performance: "It was a tough game but it is about scoring goals. We created a lot of chances in the first half and we needed to score.
On the other hand, we need to protect our penalty box a little better. It's important we learn from this game.
I told the players it is so important that during the 90 minutes, we are really focused in all situations. Today we dropped a couple of percentages in some moments and we were punished. I'm not worried.
Unfortunately you learn a lot in these games and I am fully sure that when we are back in training, we will be focused for Liverpool next week. We are following the other results and it is still in our hands. We will do everything we can to finish off with two wins." His remarks highlighted both the need for sharper defensive discipline and the belief that the squad can rebound quickly. City captain Alex Greenwood added her perspective, noting the disappointment of conceding just before the break: "It wasn't part of the plan.
This is a really good side – we knew it was going to be a tough game here. The first half we had the better chances for sure and we probably should have been further ahead than we were. We let them back into the game just before half‑time which was quite disappointing and then we missed the small details in the second half and let the game get away from us.
While it is still in our hands, we need to stay really positive and look forward to next week. Two cup finals, two wins, that's the mentality moving forward." Greenwood’s comments underscored the importance of maintaining composure and focusing on upcoming cup finals.
Brighton's player of the match, Madison Haley, spoke about the team's tactical adjustments: "For us it was more about tightening up. We knew what the game plan was, we were just not executing it in the first half, but we had moments. Getting the goal right before half‑time was important for us, but it was more building on the things that were breaking down in the first half in the second.
Credit to the girls working hard. They put pressure on us in the final minutes but we stayed together and got three points. At the beginning of this year the performances were there but unfortunately we weren't getting the results. We knew if we kept playing and doing the right things the result would come good.
We are seeing the fruits of our labour now. We have some really big games coming up, some really hard games, but we are looking to get to Wembley and all of these games are preparations for us to try to get into that final." Her remarks highlighted Brighton's growing confidence and their ambition to compete for major honours.
The match also featured tactical nuances worth noting. City’s high‑pressing approach in the opening stages created several half‑chances, yet their inability to convert allowed Brighton to regroup. Brighton, on the other hand, shifted to a more direct style after conceding, exploiting the flanks and delivering precise crosses that eventually paid off.
The game’s ebb and flow demonstrated how quickly momentum can swing in elite women's football, especially when teams are evenly matched. Looking ahead, Manchester City must regroup quickly.
With only two games remaining, every point is crucial. Their next fixture against Liverpool will be a test of character, while Arsenal’s three games in hand mean City cannot afford any further slip‑ups. Brighton, buoyed by this victory, will aim to maintain their form as they chase a respectable league finish and set their sights on cup competitions.
Overall, the encounter served as a reminder that in the Women's Super League, even title‑contending sides can be vulnerable on any given day. Brighton’s resilience, combined with Haley’s clinical finishing, turned the tide against a dominant City side, providing fans with an unforgettable spectacle and adding another chapter to the season’s narrative of unpredictability and fierce competition.