Brighton & Hove Albion opened their UEFA Conference League campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris at the Amex Stadium. The win extends their winning run to five matches across all competitions and provides a perfect start to their second European adventure. The team's recent form is five wins and no draws or losses from their last five games.
Georginio Rutter scored twice and set up another goal, with Jack Hinshelwood and Matt O'Riley also finding the net. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler made several changes at halftime, introducing Luka Vuskovic and Maxim De Cuyper, as his side dominated with nearly 80% possession and created a host of chances. De Cuyper was also on the scoresheet in the recent 2-0 win at Sunderland.
Rutter opened the scoring in the 41st minute, finishing from an Ibrahim Osman cut-back after a lengthy VAR check for a potential out-of-play call. He then turned provider just before the break, slipping a pass to Hinshelwood who doubled the lead. Rutter completed his brace eight minutes into the second half, again assisted by Osman, before O'Riley headed home a Younes Ibrahim corner for his first Brighton goal since August 2025.
Manager and player reaction
Fabian Hurzeler praised his team's disciplined performance and the clean sheet. "The fans' energy will be crucial in making the Amex a fortress," the head coach said. Georginio Rutter told reporters he was happy with his goals but focused on the collective effort. "I'm very happy to have two goals today, but more importantly is the three points," Rutter said.
The match was preceded by a minute's applause for former Albion midfielder Doug Loft, who died at the age of 39. The victory maintains Brighton's strong domestic form, where they sit third in the Premier League with 13 points from six games, having recorded four wins, one draw and one loss. They are now five points behind leaders Manchester City. This season, the team has scored 18 goals and conceded only five.
Brighton's next fixture is a Premier League derby at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday 18 October. The Eagles, currently 12th, won the last meeting between the sides 1-0 in February. The club's top scorer this season is P. Groß with three goals in six appearances.
The report in full is at skysports.com
The victory sent Brighton to the top of their Conference League group standings, the club confirmed. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler said the performance would be key for the season. "This will be key for the season, that we can really rely on each other," Hurzeler said. The win was Brighton's fifth straight in all competitions, extending their recent form to five wins and no draws or losses.
On October 16, head coach Fabian Hurzeler highlighted the squad's depth after the 4-0 win. The victory was Brighton's fifth straight in all competitions, extending their recent form to five wins and no draws or losses. The club confirmed the win sent them to the top of their Conference League group standings.
On October 16, Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed Malick Yalcouye has been added to their UEFA Conference League squad, replacing the injured Zadok Yohanna. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler explained the change after the 4-0 win over Kauno Zalgiris. "We want to have Malick in the squad, because he is a player we can really use in every game," Hurzeler said. Yalcouye played the full 90 minutes in the victory, which extended Brighton's winning run to five matches. The club sits third in the Premier League with 13 points from six games.
