Albion served up one of the great Amex afternoons.
And the schedule gives them time to enjoy it.
The Seagulls swept aside Premier League champions and leaders Arsenal 3-0 in the game designated as their 125th anniversary celebration fixture.
They did so with goals by Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and, on his first Premier League start, Chema Andres.
They did so amid a mood that was celebratory even before kick-off with blue and white flags waved ahead of the game which came closest to the date of their first fixture back in 1901.
They did so at the end of a week which saw them score eight goals in two wins on the road.
They did so on the sort of occasion you just hope does not fall flat, wearing a special kit to replicate that of 1901 and posing for a commemorative photo just before kick-off.
They did so before a record Amex attendance of 31,944.
And they did so ahead of a three-week gap between games which will allow a bit of time to reflect on what we enjoyed.
They did it without several key players, including skipper Lewis Dunk who suffered a minor neck injury in Friday’s training session.
And, in the end, it might even have been more than 3-0.
Albion were more urgent, more energetic, better organised, more clinical and more precise than the champions.
Arsenal frustration was summed up in the final act of the game — by a little kick by Declan Rice on the hard-chasing Malick Yalcouye which might easily have brought a red card, not the yellow which was shown.
But this was all about the Seagulls and their head coach Fabian Hurzeler, who waved to lead the singing in the closing moments and then punched the air in front of the North Stand when it was all over.
It was a team performance packed with superb individual efforts.
Chema and Pascal Struijk, for example, having been brought into the XI in terms of Premier League line-ups.
Or who kept their places if you compared with the team who brought boos cascading at Old Trafford less than 72 hours before this.
Of course, skipper Gross led the way.
He opened the scoring on 31 minutes with a precise shot which went in off David Raya’s post from just outside the box as defenders stood off.
The second, just before half-time, was about pace going both ways.
From their own corner, they got men racing back to suffocate a dangerous Arsenal counter, then raced back in the other direction after quick release from the back.
Diego Gomez carried possession a long way and found Kostoulas, whose low drive across Raya was exceptional.
Arsenal needed a response after the break.
Read more...
As it happened: Albion beat champions 3-0 at the Amex
Tony Bloom says Brighton’s ‘most exciting’ chapter is yet to come
Why Steele and Yalcouye call-ups are such an Albion inspiration
Instead, Chema soared on 57 minutes to head home a corner won by the excellent Kostoulas and delivered to the far post by Gross.
Struijk headed inches wide as Albion looked the better of the two teams at set-pieces.
Raya saved from Matt O’Riley late on after the move of the match.
Albion also put their bodies on the line to preserve the clean sheet.
Bart Verbruggen saved from the clean-through Kai Havertz after a rare lapse at the back.
It was an afternoon to savour in so many ways.
Enjoy it — you’ve got time.
Albion: Verbruggen; Kadioglu (Costinha 76), Vuskovic, Struijk (Svoboda 86), Boscagli; Chema Andres (Yalcouye 86), Ayari; Gomez (O'Riley 86), Gross, De Cuyper, Kostoulas (Rutter 76). Subs not used: Steele, Hadjam, David, Osman.
Share