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Brighton cruise to convincing victory in European opener
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- Brighton cruise to convincing victory in European opener
Brighton cruise to convincing victory in European opener
Brighton made an impressive start to their Conference League campaign, cruising to a 4-0 win over Lithuanian outfit Kauno Zalgiris at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls dominated possession from the outset but initially struggled to find a way through their opponents' stubborn defence.
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Several chances came and went before Georginio Rutter finally broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, finishing Ibrahim Osman 's pullback after a VAR review confirmed the goal.
There was still time for Brighton to double their advantage before the interval, with Rutter turning provider to set up Jack Hinshelwood . The midfielder marked his return from an ankle injury with a tidy first-time finish.
Brighton picked up where they left off after the break, continuing to pile pressure on the visitors. Rutter grabbed his second of the evening in the 53rd minute, once again benefiting from Osman's excellent work down the flank.
Matt O'Riley then wrapped up the scoring with a well-placed header from Younes Ibrahim 's cross, sealing a comfortable night for the hosts.
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The result extends Brighton's impressive run of form and reinforces their status as serious contenders for the trophy. Attention now turns to Sunday's Premier League clash against rivals Crystal Palace.
Incidents: The story of the match
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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Brighton & Hove Albion Official Line-ups:
Bart Verbruggen, Costinha, Michael Svoboda, Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Jack Hinshelwood, Pascal Gross, Matt O'Riley, Malick Yalcouyé, Georginio Rutter, Ibrahim Osman
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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Zalgiris Kaunas Official Line-ups:
Tomas Svedkauskas, Joris Moutachy, Anton Tolordava, Aldayr Hernández, Amine Benchaib, Nosa Edokpolor, Franco Baldassarra, Yukiyoshi Karashima, Léo Ribeiro, Renan Oliveira, Fabien Ourega
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1':
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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The match begins
Brighton and Hove Albion lead 1-0 against Kauno Zalgiris. Georginio Rutter scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner, assisted by Ibrahim Osman. The goal is confirmed after a VAR review.
41':
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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GOAL Brighton & Hove Albion: Georginio Rutter (Brighton & Hove Albion) scores!
Georginio Rutter scores goal number 1 in the competition (1 matches)
Brighton and Hove Albion lead 2-0 against Kauno Zalgiris. Jack Hinshelwood scores with a left-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner, assisted by Georginio Rutter.
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45 +2':
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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GOAL Brighton & Hove Albion: Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton & Hove Albion) scores!
Jack Hinshelwood scores goal number 1 in the competition (1 matches)
Brighton and Hove Albion lead 3-0 against Kauno Zalgiris. Georginio Rutter scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner, assisted by Ibrahim Osman.
53':
Merino nets brace as Spain come from behind to beat Croatia
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GOAL Brighton & Hove Albion: Georginio Rutter (Brighton & Hove Albion) scores!
Georginio Rutter scores goal number 2 in the competition (1 matches)
Brighton and Hove Albion lead Kauno Zalgiris 4-0. Matt O'Riley scores with a header from the left side of the six-yard box into the bottom right corner, assisted by Younes Ibrahim's cross from a set piece situation.
