Kaoru Mitoma’s brilliant opener and a Yankuba Minteh brace propelled Brighton to a commanding 3-0 victory over a lackluster Chelsea on a tough night for head coach Enzo Maresca.
With no recognized striker available, Chelsea struggled in attack, failing to register a single shot on target in a league match for the first time since September 2021. Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku alternated in a false nine role, but their efforts yielded little success.
Damilola Amuda Goalgetter, publisher of Goalgettermedia.com, covered the match live from the AMEX Stadium, where Japan international Mitoma set Brighton on their way. He masterfully controlled goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s long pass before gliding past Trevoh Chalobah and curling a precise shot into the right corner beyond Filip Jorgensen.
From then on, Brighton never looked in danger. Yankuba Minteh doubled their lead before halftime, finishing from close range after excellent buildup play from Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter. Despite Chelsea dominating possession, they struggled to create clear chances, with an early Palmer shot flashing wide and an Enzo Fernández header ruled out for a foul on Joel Veltman.
Minteh sealed Brighton’s victory just after the hour mark, exploiting Chelsea’s defensive frailties to fire a low shot past Jorgensen at his near post. The visitors looked vulnerable throughout, particularly down their left side.
Determined to bounce back from a humiliating 7-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, Brighton displayed sharpness both on and off the ball. Their celebrations at the final whistle reflected their relief at securing their first home league win since November 9. In contrast, Chelsea sorely missed Nicolas Jackson’s presence, failing to convert their 717 attempted passes into meaningful attacks, while Brighton—despite making fewer than half as many passes—showed greater intensity and cutting edge.
Defensive errors proved costly for Chelsea, with Chalobah’s rushed clearance leading to Brighton’s second goal and Levi Colwill’s mistake under pressure from Welbeck gifting them their third. While their recent FA Cup exit was a narrow defeat, this loss was a much humbler experience. Veltman even came close to adding to their misery late on, striking the post.
Maresca now faces plenty of concerns, with Noni Madueke limping off early to compound Chelsea’s growing injury problems. Palmer, whose form has been instrumental in their push for a Champions League spot, also looked far from his best.
With this win, Brighton—who had already eliminated Chelsea from the FA Cup last Saturday—climb to eighth in the Premier League table, sitting just four points behind fifth-placed Manchester City.
