Rare victory at the Vitality: Bournemouth 0-2 Brighton photos
Bournemouth 0-2 Brighton are the photos we never thought would happen. Not because the Albion are a bad team, but because they had seemed cursed never to win a league game when visiting the Vitality Stadium.
Just twice in the past 30 years had a Seagulls side returned from Dorset with all three points. The most recent was in October 2007, when goals from Dean Cox and Bas Savage secured a 2-0 League One win for Dean Wilkins’ Albion.
Before that, it was February 1995 and a game played in torrential rain on a flooded pitch. Jeff Minton scored twice and Junior McDougald once, again in the third tier of English football.
The Albion under Roberto De Zerbi do not seemingly care about bogey teams or history. A rare victory at the Vitality Stadium can be added to their achievements, alongside a first home win over Liverpool in 60 years and becoming the first Brighton side to beat Chelsea in a league match.
Bournemouth applied a fair amount of pressure to the Albion goal but the Seagulls soaked it up expertly, thanks largely to Moises Caicedo shielding the defence and some excellent saves from Jason Steele.
At the other end, it was two teenagers with a combined age of just 37 who scored the goals. 18-year-old Evan Ferguson struck on the half hour mark with a quite incredible back heel into the bottom corner from a Karou Mitoma cross. It was a goal they will be talking about for years to come.
19-year-old substitute Julio Enciso secured the three points in second half stoppage time, opening his Brighton account in the process.
Pascal Gross fizzed a brilliant pass through the tightest of gaps. Enciso controlled, left a Bournemouth defender on the floor and was composure personified to roll the ball into the opposite side of the net to where Cherries goalkeeper Neto was positioned.
“We’re all going on a European tour” sang the away end at full time as De Zerbi and his players celebrated. The prospect of Europa League or Champions League football does not seem so far fetched now.
If you have any photos you would like included in our Bournemouth 0-2 Brighton gallery, please e-mail them to wearebrighton@hotmail.co.uk or tweet them to us @wearebrighton
