Brighton 2-0 Brentford: Diego Gómez produced another moment of magic and Pascal Groß converted from the spot as Brighton climbed to second in the Premier League with a comfortable win over 10-man Brentford at the Amex on Sunday.
The Seagulls struck twice before half-time to take control of the Matchday 10 meeting, and Fabian Hürzeler’s side never looked like letting the lead slip after the break. The result lifts Brighton to 22 points from 10 matches — five behind leaders Arsenal and one clear of Manchester City — and marks the club’s best-ever start to a top-flight season.
Gómez opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a finish that will live long in the memory. Costinha’s cross from the right was only partially cleared by Brentford defender Michael Kayode, and the Paraguay international took a couple of touches before unleashing a left-footed strike from more than 25 yards high into the top-left corner. It was the midfielder’s second stunning goal in successive home outings, having also scored from the halfway line against Crystal Palace.
Brighton 2-0 Brentford: Gómez’s stunner sets the tone
Brentford’s afternoon unravelled further eight minutes later. Striker Igor Thiago was sent off in the 23rd minute after a VAR review, having caught Brighton midfielder Chema Andrés in the face with a raised arm during a tussle. Referee Michael Oliver initially showed only a yellow card before upgrading the punishment to red for violent conduct.
Brighton should have doubled their lead almost immediately, but Charalampos Kostoulas wasted a golden chance by firing straight at Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. The second goal arrived three minutes before the interval, and it was every bit as decisive as the first.
Groß seals it from the spot on his 299th appearance
Keane Lewis-Potter held Luka Vušković at a corner, and Oliver pointed to the spot at once. Groß, making his 299th Brighton appearance, stepped up and dispatched the penalty high into the net to make it 2-0 in the 42nd minute.
The second half brought no further goals, but Brighton were rarely troubled. Brentford, a man down since the 23rd minute, could not find a way back into the contest, and the hosts saw out a win that underlines just how far Hürzeler’s side have come this season.
What second place means for Brighton
Seven wins from 10 matches, a place above Manchester City and only Arsenal ahead of them — Brighton head into the November international break as the Premier League’s surprise package. The Seagulls have now won more games than any side bar the leaders, and their position is no fluke: they have beaten the teams in front of them and, against Brentford, showed they can also win comfortably when the game turns in their favour.
The challenge now is to stay there. The league resumes on Saturday, 21 November, and Brighton will know that the chasing pack — City included — will be waiting for any slip. For now, though, the south-coast club can enjoy the view from second place, five points behind Arsenal and dreaming of something special.
For more on the title race, check today’s predictions.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC0) — collage by SportsBuddy
