BRIGHTON played out their wildest dreams in the city of sin – taking a huge stride towards knockout European football on one of the club’s greatest nights.
Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra scored either side of half-time to seal back-to-back wins over Euro greats Ajax – something no Seagulls fan could have dreamt up just a year ago, regardless of what they had been smoking.
Brighton had started to find their feet in Europe after three games, triumphing over the Dutch giants at The Amex last time out.
The four time European Cup winners have improved since, with a new manager and two wins in the Eredivisie lifting them away from the bottom of the table.
But other than a little more possession and a couple of pot shots from range, there was no huge sign of improvement in the opening stages.
De Zerbi’s side suffered slow starts against AEK Athens and especially in Marseille. But here in their second ever overseas trip in the competition, the Seagulls got off to a flier thanks to some quick thinking by Adingra.
Adingra, who is getting plenty of chances following Solly March’s injury, pounced on a loose ball from Silvano Vos before quickly playing in Barcelona loanee Fati.
The nimble Spaniard raced in behind the red and white back line before finding the bottom left with a cute finish.
With back-to-back goals in Europe for the Seagulls, Fati is starting to sparkle and took to one of Europe’s most storied stages with ease.
There were tricks and flicks on the halfway line before he returned the favour for Adingra.
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Fati drove forward from the centre circle, gifted space by the retreating Ajax defence, and slipped in the Ivorian winger to his right.
Adingra set himself with a touch and lifted a fine finish into the far corner for his first goal in European football.
Fati departed with a goal and an assist from an hour’s work as Brighton began rotating and resting, just to make this evening all the more surreal for their travelling fans.
Ajax are the only side to face the Seagulls this season and not score, though Brian Brobbey came closest in an improved second half – almost finding a way back when his strike hit the inside of the post but rolled across the line before being put behind.
Bart Verbruggen had to be sharp to stop from Chuba Akpom and protect a rare clean sheet.
Brighton’s brilliant night was not without concern.
Pervis Estupinan returned from injury as a second half sub only to have to be hooked again shortly after.
Both James Milner and captain Lewis Dunk were also lost in the first half.
Dunk, who was named in the England squad on Thursday, suffered a groin injury after Milner had hobbled off after just eight minutes.
With the Seagulls struggling to cope with the extra burden of Europa League football back home, they are five without a win in the Premier League, more walking wounded is the last thing they need.
But that was a problem for the morning, the Brighton fans in Amsterdam had some serious celebrating to do – this was a night to toast and the perfect city to do it in.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
