Brighton 3–4 Aston Villa — Match Report
Aston Villa produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season as they defeated Brighton 4–3 at the Amex Stadium. It was a thriller filled with goals, momentum shifts, and a statement performance from Unai Emery’s side.
🔥 First Half: Chaos to Comeback
Brighton started strongly and went 1–0 up through Jan Paul van Hecke, who headed in after just 9 minutes. Villa’s night got worse when Pau Torres unintentionally turned the ball into his own net, giving Brighton a 2–0 lead.
Just when things looked out of control, Aston Villa fought back with incredible resilience.
Ollie Watkins stepped up, scoring twice — first in the 37th minute and again deep into first-half stoppage time (45+7′) — pulling the game back to 2–2 before the break.
⚡ Second Half: Villa Take Over
Villa came out stronger in the second half. Amadou Onana completed the comeback with a composed finish in the 60th minute to make it 3–2.
Substitute Donyell Malen then added a fourth in the 78th minute, giving Villa a two-goal cushion.
Brighton threatened a late comeback when van Hecke scored again to reduce the deficit to 4–3, but Villa held firm to secure all three points.
📊 Key Highlights
Ollie Watkins’ brace changed the entire momentum of the match.
Villa scored four unanswered goals between the 37th and 78th minute.
Defensive issues remain for both sides, but Villa’s attacking quality made the difference.
🔭 What the Result Means
This win is a massive boost for Aston Villa. Coming from 2–0 down away from home shows mentality, belief, and depth in the squad. With a big match ahead against Arsenal, the victory provides perfect momentum and confidence.
Brighton, meanwhile, will feel disappointed after losing a two-goal advantage — defensive lapses cost them crucial points.
