Brighton & Hove Albion returned to winning ways in the Premier League (EPL) with a composed 2-0 victory over Burnley at the American Express Stadium, bringing an end to a six-match run without a league win.
Goals from Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari ensured Fabian Hürzeler’s side claimed all three points, rewarding a confident performance that saw the Seagulls control large spells of the contest.
Brighton started with intent and nearly found an early breakthrough when Joel Veltman headed narrowly over the bar.
The hosts thought they had gone ahead soon after as Charalampos Koustoulas rifled home, but celebrations were cut short by an offside decision.
Lewis Dunk then went close, sending a header over from Ferdi Kadioglu’s well-delivered free-kick.
READ ALSO:
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 29th minute. Ayari’s effort took a deflection that fell kindly to Rutter, who reacted sharply to drive the ball past Martin Dubravka and give Brighton a deserved lead.
Burnley showed flashes of threat before the interval, with Lucas Pires forcing Bart Verbruggen into a save during stoppage time, but the visitors were undone moments after the restart.
Sloppy play on the edge of their own box allowed Ayari to seize possession, and the midfielder finished with precision, drilling a reverse shot into the bottom-left corner to double Brighton’s advantage.
The Clarets attempted to respond, and Loum Tchaouna came close to pulling a goal back midway through the second half, only for Kadioglu to make a crucial goal-line clearance.
Brighton, however, continued to look the more dangerous side. Maxim De Cuyper nearly added a third late on, his free-kick crashing against the post.
The two-goal cushion proved more than sufficient as Brighton saw out the match comfortably, extending their strong home form and easing recent pressure.
The evening also carried several notable milestones. Koustoulas made history by becoming the youngest Greek player to start a Premier League match, while his involvement in the opening goal placed him among Brighton’s youngest assist providers in the competition.
Ayari’s strike, scored just seconds into the second half, was the club’s quickest top-flight goal at the start of either half in over two years.
Veteran midfielder James Milner also made an appearance from the bench, becoming the first player to feature in Premier League matches across 25 consecutive calendar years.
For Brighton, the result offers renewed momentum as they look to climb the table, while Burnley were left to reflect on missed opportunities and defensive lapses that ultimately proved costly.
