Brighton withstand Sunderland pressure after Struijk dismissal

Brighton overcame Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light despite a sending-off and a late spell with ten men. Maxim De Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam scored in what Fabian Hurzeler considered a deserved win for his side.

Sunderland struggled to turn possession into clear chances, while Brighton remained solid at the back. The visitors’ task became harder when Pascal Struijk was sent off. Hurzeler’s players nevertheless stayed organised and continued to frustrate Sunderland rather than falling into disarray. In stoppage time, substitute Jaouen Hadjam scored Brighton’s second to secure the three points.

Hurzeler praised his team’s response, which required a different approach from the one used in their previous victory over Arsenal. “It was a different performance because we had difficult circumstances and faced different adversities,” he said. He considered defensive discipline central to the result, particularly after his side was reduced to ten. “It was key for us today to have a really good defensive mindset. I feel it was a deserved win and I have to praise my players,” he said.

The manager also highlighted the group’s togetherness through the closing stages. He said he had not yet reviewed Struijk’s dismissal: “In that moment I felt it was a harsh decision. He called the decision harsh in the moment, saying he would review it before reaching a verdict; he had not identified an error obvious enough to justify VAR intervention. Hurzeler played down the importance of the league table, saying he wanted Brighton to keep believing in its quality and producing performances of this kind.