Brighton crush Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 to open Conference League in style
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Brighton beat Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 at the Amex on Thursday. Rutter scored twice. O'Riley and Hinshelwood added one goal each.
- The win was Brighton's fifth in a row in all games. It also gave them a clean sheet at home.
- Brighton now host Crystal Palace on Sunday. Then they chase the Conference League trophy as early favourites.
Brighton beat Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 on Thursday night. The win opened their Conference League season in style. Georginio Rutter scored twice in the rout.
What happened
Brighton took charge from the first whistle. The home side made chance after chance. But the first goal took time to come.
Brighton made early chances too. Costinha headed over from close range. A Gross free kick drew a fine save.
Lewis Dunk fired a shot just over the bar. None of those early chances went in. The breakthrough came late in the half.
The opener came in the 41st minute. Ibrahim Osman cut the ball back from the right. Georginio Rutter turned it into the net.
The goal needed a video check first. VAR is video review. It lets officials re-check key moments.
The ball may have gone out of play. The check showed Osman kept it in. The goal stood.
Rutter then set up the second goal. He crossed for Jack Hinshelwood in first-half added time. Added time means extra minutes at the end of a half.
Hinshelwood finished with a neat first-time shot. Brighton led 2-0 at half-time. Hinshelwood was back in the side.
He had not played since the opening weekend.
The third goal came in the 53rd minute. Brighton broke fast on the counter. Osman cut the ball back again.
Rutter finished from close range. That was his second goal of the night.
Matt O'Riley made it 4-0 in the 67th minute. He headed the ball past the keeper. It was his first Brighton goal since August 2025.
O'Riley nearly scored a second late on. A fine save denied his late header. Brighton kept a clean sheet.
That means they let in no goals. The crowd was 21,840, the BBC said.
Boss Fabian Hurzeler praised the display. He called it disciplined, the BBC said. He said the side kept a clean sheet.
He also said players took their chance.
Rutter said the three points mattered most. He said the team is in good shape. The goals mattered less than the win, he said.
Why it matters
The win gave Brighton a strong start. The Conference League is Europe's third club contest. It sits below the Champions League and the Europa League.
Brighton are among the favourites to win it. A good start builds belief in the squad.
Rutter led the way. He scored twice. He also set up one goal.
The squad showed depth too. Hinshelwood scored on his return to the side. O'Riley scored his first goal in over a year.
Goals came from three players. That spread is a good sign.
Brighton have scored 29 goals this season. Only Barcelona and Bayern Munich have more. That count covers Europe's top leagues, AFP said.
A 4-0 win also helps goal difference. Goal difference is goals scored minus goals conceded. It can split teams tied on points.
English clubs are busy in Europe this week. Arsenal beat Lille 3-0 in the Champions League. You can also check the Champions League matchday 2 schedule.
In the Premier League, Coventry beat Newcastle 4-1. Brighton will want to keep this run going.
Kauno Zalgiris won the Lithuanian Cup. They faced a tough night in England. Brighton held the ball for long spells.
The home fans left the Amex happy.
What happens next
Brighton host Crystal Palace on Sunday. That game is a Premier League derby. A derby is a game between local rivals.
Brighton will want a sixth straight win. They have now won five games in a row.
In Europe, Brighton want the trophy. They beat Tromso 4-0 in the play-off round. That win came in August.
Their last European run came in the 2023-24 Europa League. It ended in the last 16. English clubs have won this trophy before.
Chelsea and Crystal Palace won it in recent years. West Ham lifted it in 2023.
The league phase still has more games to play. Kauno Zalgiris will regroup for their next game. Brighton will aim to stay top of the pile.
Brighton started as favourites. They played like favourites on Thursday. The next test is Palace on Sunday.
Then Europe waits again.
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