Brighton and Sunderland Draw 0-0, Ending Brighton's Perfect Home Record
Sunderland and Brighton played out a 0-0 draw at the Amex Stadium, ending Brighton's 100% home league scoring record this season. Sunderland, missing four players due to AFCON commitments, defended resiliently and utilized counter-attacks to secure a valuable point.
Brighton faced multiple absences including captain Lewis Dunk (suspended), Carlos Baleba (AFCON departure), Jan Paul van Hecke (illness), and Danny Welbeck (back issues). This led to a central defense pairing of Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola.
To manage the AFCON absences, Sunderland brought in Lutsharel Geertruida, Chris Rigg, Trai Hume, and Simon Adingra. Geertruida, on loan from RB Leipzig, partnered captain Granit Xhaka in midfield.
Key moments saw Mats Wieffer hit the bar for Brighton, while Sunderland goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made several crucial saves, including stops from Alderete and a close-range effort. A penalty appeal for handball was denied after Minteh's cross struck Xhaka's hand. Late in the game, Brighton substitute Yasin Ayari missed a significant chance to secure a win, and Romaine Mundle, coming on for Rigg, forced Verbruggen into another save, earning a standing ovation from the Brighton away supporters.
The match was notably influenced by AFCON-related disruptions, with Brighton manager Le Bris emphasizing that such challenges would not derail the team's momentum. Brighton pressed hard in the closing stages but were unable to convert their chances.
