Bournemouth vs Brighton Report

Scorers: Brooks 90+3’; Pedro 4’, Mitoma 49’

Red Card: Baleba 60’

Brighton & Hove Albion defied both the elements and a second-half red card to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. João Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma delivered the crucial goals, as the Seagulls picked up their third Premier League away win of the season, continuing their impressive form on the road.

First Half: Brighton Strike Early Amid Bournemouth Dominance

João Pedro wasted no time making his mark, capitalising on a rebound to score in the fourth minute after Kepa Arrizabalaga parried a shot from Georginio Rutter. Despite the early setback, Bournemouth dominated the remainder of the half.

Antoine Semenyo came close within 90 seconds, narrowly missing the bottom corner, while Justin Kluivert and Evanilson forced excellent saves from Bart Verbruggen. The Cherries thought they had equalised just before HT when Kluivert set up Evanilson, but the goal was ruled out for offside, leaving the home fans frustrated.

Second Half: Pedro and Mitoma Double the Lead Before Baleba Sees Red

Brighton started the second half as they had the first – scoring in the fourth minute. João Pedro turned provider, threading a sublime ball into Kaoru Mitoma’s path. The Japanese winger made no mistake, steering the ball past Kepa with his first touch.

Bournemouth had a golden chance to respond immediately, but Evanilson squandered a close-range opportunity. The hosts were handed a boost when Carlos Baleba received a second yellow card just before the hour mark, leaving Brighton down to 10 men.

With the numerical advantage, Bournemouth piled on the pressure. Semenyo and Kluivert continued to trouble the Brighton defence, while Evanilson’s header almost slipped through Verbruggen’s hands in the wet conditions, but the goalkeeper recovered just in time.

Late Drama and Brighton’s Resilience

Bournemouth’s persistence finally paid off in stoppage time when David Brooks finished a well-worked move to halve the deficit. However, it proved too little, too late, as Brighton held firm in the dying moments to secure a gritty victory.

What It Means

Brighton’s resilience lifts them to eighth in the Premier League table, continuing their upward trajectory under Fabian Hürzeler. Meanwhile, Bournemouth’s back-to-back losses see them drop to 13th, as Andoni Iraola’s men miss the chance to make history with a fourth consecutive home league win.

Brighton will look to build on this momentum, while Bournemouth must regroup ahead of their next fixture to arrest their recent slide.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Bournemouth v Brighton, 2024/25 | Premier League