Brighton vs Wolves saw Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton side secure a 3-2 victory, advancing to the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night.
Brighton took control early, establishing a two-goal lead with strikes from Carlos Baleba (14) and Simon Adingra (31). Wolves offered little in response throughout much of the first half.
Gary O’Neil’s team found hope right before halftime when Goncalo Guedes (44) finished Matt Doherty’s cutback, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Wolves showed more fight in the second half. Nelson Semedo’s dangerous cross, deflected by Jason Steele, almost found the net before Josh Hinshelwood made a last-ditch clearance. This moment kept Brighton’s lead intact.
Wolves continued to press and created another big opportunity. Guedes, however, failed to equalize, firing wide with only Steele to beat.
Brighton punished Wolves for their missed chances. Ferdi Kadioglu converted from close range after Danny Welbeck’s shot was saved, extending Brighton’s lead to 3-1.
Despite this setback, Wolves didn’t give up. Tommy Doyle capitalized on Brighton’s sloppy defending to score off the underside of the crossbar, making it 3-2.
However, Brighton held on to secure their place in the next round, with the draw scheduled for September 25.
Brighton’s head coach Fabian Hurzeler, though happy with the win, voiced his frustration over the “silly mistakes” that allowed Wolves back into the game. His side remains unbeaten under his management, but Hurzeler stressed the need for improvement.
“We played well until the 44th minute,” Hurzeler said. “But that goal we conceded was lazy. It’s against our identity. We must learn quickly from these moments.”
Wolves, on the other hand, showed resilience. Despite the loss, their manager Gary O’Neil believes it’s only a matter of time before his team starts getting results.
“They can feel that we’re close in these games,” O’Neil explained. “But it’s not enough to play well. We need to be tougher and manage key moments better.”
Brighton vs Wolves ended in Brighton’s favor, but both teams know improvements are needed ahead of their next matches.
