Kaoru Mitoma delivered a moment of brilliance as Brighton earned a well-deserved win over Chelsea, further denting the Blues’ hopes of securing a top-four spot in the Premier League. This marked the Seagulls’ second triumph over Enzo Maresca’s side within a week, having also eliminated them from the FA Cup last Saturday.
The victory lifts Brighton to eighth in the standings, narrowing the gap to four points behind Manchester City, who sit in fifth place. However, City, Newcastle, and Bournemouth each have a game in hand and could overtake Chelsea with victories on Saturday.
Mitoma’s Moment of Magic
Brighton’s opening goal was crafted in spectacular fashion, with Japan international Mitoma showcasing exceptional technique. He expertly controlled a long ball from goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen before skillfully cutting inside Trevoh Chalobah. With precision, he guided a low shot beyond Filip Jorgensen and into the bottom right corner.
From that point onward, the home side appeared in full control, eventually securing their first league win at the Amex Stadium since early November. Their dominance was further rewarded before halftime when Yankuba Minteh capitalized on excellent build-up play from Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter, finishing calmly from close range.
Chelsea Struggles as Minteh Seals the Win
Despite Chelsea enjoying extended spells of possession, they found it difficult to create meaningful chances. Cole Palmer came close in the opening stages with an attempt that drifted wide, while Enzo Fernandez saw a headed goal ruled out due to a foul on Joel Veltman.
Brighton sealed the victory just after the hour mark when Minteh struck again. Exploiting defensive weaknesses on Chelsea’s left side, he powered a low drive past Jorgensen at his near post, completing a convincing performance for Fabian Hurzeler’s men.
