After playing nine-man Crystal Palace’s 2-1 victory over Brighton we revisit when a side has been triumphant in difficult circumstances
After late red cards for Marc Guehi and Eddie Nketiah against a Brighton club that was also reduced to 10 men in stoppage time, the team won 2-1 in a thrilling finale at Selhurst Park.
Eagles substitute Nketiah was the first Palace player to be given red after he received a second yellow card on 78 minutes, 10 minutes after coming on with the home side leading 2-1.
He was followed 12 minutes later by Guehi, sent off by referee Anthony Taylor also for two yellows.
Then halfway through the 12 minutes of stoppage time, Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke also received a red card for a second booking.
But despite Brighton piling on the pressure with their man advantage, they were unable to secure an equaliser, with Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson making a crucial close-range save from Yasin Ayari in the last minute of stoppage time.
It meant Palace did their first double over Brighton – one of their fiercest rivals – in 92 years, having won 3-1 at the Amex Stadium in December.
What other teams have won despite two red cards?
Leeds United – 2001/02
The most recent occasion of a team winning with only nine men on the pitch was in August 2001, when Leeds United won at Arsenal.
Leeds were winning 2-1 when Lee Bowyer was sent off in the 77th minute, before Danny Mills joined him in the dressing-room eight minutes later, but they held on at Highbury.
Manchester City – 1994/95
The only other time was in October 1994 when Manchester City also hung on to a 2-1 away lead at Queens Park Rangers despite second-half red cards for goalkeeper Andy Dibble (in the 71st minute) and Richard Edghill on 78 minutes.
