Chelsea faced a familiar frustration as Kaoru Mitoma’s stunning opener and Yankuba Minteh’s impressive double secured Brighton a commanding 3-0 victory at the Amex Stadium.
Just six days after a disappointing FA Cup fourth-round exit in Sussex, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea faced another setback, this time against Brighton, significantly hindering their Champions League qualification hopes with a repeat defeat.
Mitoma, who netted the winner in Saturday’s 2-1 victory, showcased an exceptional first touch, propelling Albion to a 27th-minute lead. Fellow winger Minteh made his mark by scoring either side of the halftime break.
It was a challenging outing for Chelsea, currently sitting fourth, further complicated by an early injury to Noni Madueke. The Blues have now managed a mere nine points from their last nine matches and failed to record a single attempt on target.
Brighton, despite suffering a 7-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest just two weeks ago, rose to eighth in the table with this commanding home win, marking their first league victory on home turf since early November.
Head coach Enzo Maresca emphasized the silver lining of the premature cup exit, noting that it allows the team to focus on their Premier League commitments and the Conference League. In pursuit of a return to European football’s elite, he made four changes to the lineup from the previous week, while Adam Webster stepped in for injured captain Lewis Dunk.
Winger Madueke was among the recalled players, but after just 21 minutes, he limped off with England boss Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands, making way for Jadon Sancho after creating a solid chance for Cole Palmer.
Palmer’s poor slice wide marked the best opportunity during a cautious start, but it was Mitoma who truly electrified the chilly Valentine’s Day match with a moment of brilliance. After a probing pass from goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, the Japan winger deftly plucked the ball from the air, danced past Trevoh Chalobah, and fired a stunning shot into the bottom right corner.
Chelsea believed they had leveled the score just before halftime when captain Enzo Fernandez headed home from Malo Gusto’s cross, but it was ruled out for a push on Joel Veltman, intensifying the visitors’ frustration. Just three minutes later, poor defending compounded their woes.
Chalobah lost possession deep in his own half, and despite Filip Jorgensen’s quick reflexes denying Levi Colwill’s attempted clearance, Danny Welbeck swiftly capitalized on the loose ball. He laid it off to Minteh, who skillfully sidestepped Marc Cucurella before slotting a low finish into the net.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler rallied the home supporters, calling for an atmosphere reminiscent of last weekend’s match, where former Seagulls Robert Sanchez, Cucurella, and Moises Caicedo faced jeers. After the second goal, chants of “can we play you every week?” echoed around the ground, with left-back Cucurella taking the brunt of the crowd’s hostility in light of Sanchez being dropped for first-choice keeper Jorgensen.
Despite the continued absence of first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson and the early exit of Madueke, Maresca chose to stick with his original lineup, sending his players out to start the second half with determination.
Chelsea dominated possession in the opposition’s half; however, their lack of urgency in attack was evident. Brighton effectively sealed the game in the 63rd minute.
While the visitors protested for a foul on Colwill during the buildup, Minteh skillfully exchanged passes with Welbeck before cutting in from the right and finding the back of the net with a slight deflection off Chalobah.
In response, Maresca introduced three substitutions, but the damage had already been done. Jorgensen showcased his skills by deflecting a Veltman shot onto the right post, preventing an even greater deficit as Brighton, despite needing Verbruggen to intervene and stop Adam Webster from scoring a late own goal, comfortably cruised to a decisive victory.
