London, Dec 4 : Enzo Fernandez’s first two Premier League goals earned 10-man Chelsea a first league win over Brighton & Hove Albion in six attempts, beating the Seagulls 3-2 in a pulsating contest at Stamford Bridge.
A first home win since August moved Chelsea up to 10th place on 19 points, three behind eighth-placed Brighton.
Chelsea took the lead on 17 minutes through Fernandez.After Brighton were unable to clear from a corner, Benoit Badiashile hooked the ball back across goal for Fernandez to head past Steele.
The home side doubled their advantage four minutes later from another right-wing corner.This time it was Nicolas Jackson, who nodded back for Colwill to head in, with his effort creeping over the line for his first Chelsea goal.
But Brighton pulled a goal back in the 43rd minute, Buonanotte cutting in from the right before bending a superb strike into the far-left corner.And the Seagulls were given further hope on the stroke of half-time after Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher was sent off for a second bookable offence following a foul on former Blues midfielder Billy Gilmour.
It’s the second consecutive match that Chelsea’s captain has been shown a red card, after Reece James was dismissed in last weekend’s 4-1 defeat at Newcastle.
Brighton struggled to take advantage of the extra man early in the second half, and it was Chelsea who scored the all-important fourth goal of the match on 65 minutes.
Chelsea were awarded a penalty following a VAR review, with referee Craig Pawson sent to the Referee Review Area and adjudging James Milner to have fouled Mudryk.
Fernandez stroked his spot-kick down the middle of the goal to restore Chelsea’s two-goal lead.
Brighton pulled a goal back in the second minute of added time through substitute Joao Pedro, who glanced in a header from Milner’s corner to set up a grandstand finish.
The Seagulls were then awarded a penalty for a handball by Colwill, only for the decision to be overturned by Pawson after being recommended to go over to the Referee Review Area.
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