By SCM Sports Desk I Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
BRIGHTON, Premier League — Fabian Hürzeler’s high-flying Brighton produced an absolute masterclass on the south coast, tearing rival Crystal Palace to shreds in a sensational 5-0 Premier League victory at the Amex Stadium.
On an afternoon where everything the Seagulls touched turned to gold, a extraordinary three-goal blitz inside the opening ten minutes set the stage for total dominance, capping off a fourth consecutive league victory while keeping their fourth straight clean sheet.
The match exploded into life almost immediately, courtesy of Brighton’s evergreen talisman Pascal Groß. In the fourth minute, the German midfielder whipped a devilish, pinpoint delivery into the box that forced Palace defender Jaydee Canvot into a catastrophic error, heading into his own net to hand the hosts an early lead.
Before Palace could gather their senses, Brighton produced a moment of sheer genius in the seventh minute.
Paraguayan star Diego Gómez caught Palace keeper Walter Benítez off his line, striking an audacious, jaw-dropping shot from near the halfway line that sailed overhead and dipped into the net. It was a goal of pure brilliance that immediately brought the Amex crowd to its feet. Just three minutes later, in the tenth minute, midfield creator Yasin Ayari turned provider into scorer by finishing off a swift, fluid team move involving Charalampos Kostoulas and Groß to make it 3-0.
Brighton controlled the contest completely, finishing the match with 57 per cent of total ball possession and generating 1.98 expected goals (xG) while limiting a shell-shocked Palace side to just 0.75 xG. The Seagulls registered 15 total shot attempts throughout the afternoon, putting eight directly on target, whereas Palace managed seven shot attempts with only two hitting the target.
Any lingering hopes of an improbable Palace comeback were extinguished just four minutes after the restart. In the 49th minute, another clever sequence initiated by Groß found Ayari, whose deflected attempt fell directly to young forward Charalampos Kostoulas to slot home a thoroughly deserved fourth goal.
Palace did briefly threaten when substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta rattled the crossbar on his return, but it was Brighton who had the final say. In the 84th minute, substitute Jack Hinshelwood bundled home from close range after Benítez parried a fierce header, sealing an emphatic five-goal victory.
The numbers reflect complete structural dominance from Hürzeler’s tactical setup. Brighton completed over 85 per cent of their passes, racked up six corner kicks compared to Palace’s three, and committed just nine fouls during a disciplined, high-octane 90 minutes.
Palace, by contrast, struggled with disorganization, committing 14 fouls and picking up three yellow cards in a desperate attempt to stem the flow. The victory extends Brighton’s remarkable run to four straight wins with an aggregate scoreline of 15-0, lifting them firmly into the upper echelons of the Premier League table.
