Brighton & Hove Albion’s victory over AEK Athens, securing their place in the knockout phase of the Europa League, was lauded by Roberto de Zerbi as a ‘historic day.’
The Seagulls, playing in Europe for the first time in their history, earned revenge for their 3-2 loss at home to AEK in the opening match of the group stage to ensure their adventure continues.
“We showed a different mentality tonight, showcasing our soul and resilience,” De Zerbi told newsmen.
“It was a historic day for Brighton, for the club and our fans.”
“It is a massive evening for the club and everyone involved, the players and the fans, a result we will always remember.”
Joao Pedro, who previously netted two penalties in the reverse fixture on the south coast, once again demonstrated accuracy from the spot, sending goalkeeper Cican Stankovic the wrong way for the solitary goal in Greece.
Referee Sandro Scharer initially refrained from awarding the penalty after Pedro was brought down by Damian Szymanski, but upon VAR review and advice, he overturned his on-field decision after consulting the pitchside monitor.
AEK’s aspirations of staging a comeback were dashed just 10 minutes later when forward Mijat Gacinovic, a persistent threat to Brighton throughout the match, received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Joel Veltman.
With an additional player on the field, Albion seized control, monopolizing possession and maintaining a strong hold on the contest for the final 25 minutes, securing their third clean sheet of the season.
The victory ensures Brighton’s progression to the next phase of the competition. However, they must defeat Marseille in their final Group B fixture at Amex Stadium on December 14 to secure top spot and avoid entering the knockout play-offs.
Pedro proving to be key figure
Brighton’s performance in the transfer market, both in acquiring and offloading players, has received praise since their Premier League debut in the 2017-18 season.
Last summer, they successfully secured the talents of Brazil international Pedro from Watford for just under £30 million, and he quickly adapted under the guidance of manager Roberto de Zerbi.
Making an impactful debut by scoring in a 4-1 victory over Luton in the Premier League, Pedro has since added eight more goals to his tally, solidifying his position as the club’s top scorer. Demonstrating composure, Pedro appeared unruffled as he executed a slow and deliberate run-up to the penalty spot before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner.
At 22 years old, Pedro currently leads the scoring charts in the Europa League, finding the net five times in as many games.
While De Zerbi will undoubtedly be pleased with Pedro’s performance, the Italian manager is likely to derive equal satisfaction from his team’s clean sheet in the match.
Prior to their journey to Greece, Brighton had only managed two clean sheets—both against Ajax in the Europa League—in 18 matches across all competitions.
The Seagulls had to endure challenging moments, particularly in the first 45 minutes, with AEK creating the majority of chances.
Steven Zuber came closest to scoring when his attempt struck the post, and Gacinovic could only send the rebound wide.
However, Brighton managed to reach halftime on level terms through some fortune and displayed a professional performance to secure the victory once they took the lead.