Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi described Kaoru Mitoma as a “great player” you can “never substitute” after the Japanese winger scored a late winner for the second game running to hand Brighton victory over Bournemouth.
Mitoma, whose stoppage-time goal knocked holders Liverpool out of the FA Cup last weekend, steered a header past Cherries goalkeeper Neto with three minutes remaining to spark joyous scenes among the home supporters.
This latest effort was Mitoma’s sixth in his past nine appearances across all competitions and his seventh overall in 2022-23, making him the club’s joint-top scorer alongside Alexis Mac Allister, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard.
“He has a natural quality,” De Zerbi said of the 25-year-old.
“Today he didn’t play a fantastic game, but when you have Mitoma on the pitch you can never substitute him because you always expect one goal.”
Deniz Undav should have put the home side ahead in the first half, shooting against the post from close range after being denied twice in quick succession by blocks from Chris Mepham and Neto.
Jefferson Lerma shot wide from Jaidon Anthony’s cross as Bournemouth began to grow into the contest, but the hosts continued to carve out the better openings and twice went close through Danny Welbeck before half-time.
Billy Gilmour fired into the side-netting and Cherries debutant Antoine Semenyo had a shot blocked by the retreating Pervis Estupinan in a delicately poised second half, before Mitoma’s late header broke the visitors’ hearts.
De Zerbi left Moises Caicedo out of his starting line-up after the Ecuadorian midfielder’s attempts to force a move away from the club during the January transfer window.
The Seagulls climb to sixth, while Bournemouth are 19th after Everton’s victory over Arsenal in Saturday’s early game.
Mitoma the hero again
Caicedo’s omission meant Brighton started a league game without either the Ecuadorian or the suspended Mac Allister for only the second time this season, the other occasion being the 4-2 defeat at home by Arsenal on 31 December.
The Seagulls, who were also without in-form teenager Evan Ferguson through injury, looked set to draw a blank for the first time in a Premier League game since October until Mitoma’s late effort.
They controlled possession early on as Bournemouth set up camp inside their own half, but Undav somehow failed to put the hosts ahead with a quarter of an hour played.
The German striker, making only his second league start this season, intercepted Neto’s misplaced pass but after Mepham blocked his initial effort, Undav proceeded to fire straight at the Bournemouth goalkeeper before shooting against the post with his second follow-up shot.
Bournemouth improved as the half wore on but Welbeck headed straight at Neto from Solly March’s delivery, then steered a low Undav cross wide of the far post shortly before half-time.
Caicedo was given a rousing reception by the Brighton supporters when he entered the fray just before the hour mark, but it was the midfielder’s compatriot Estupinan who came to the home side’s rescue midway through the second period by throwing himself in front of Semenyo’s shot.
Brighton’s late pressure eventually told, though – Neto getting a hand to Mitoma’s header but failing to stop the ball crossing the goal-line.
Improved Bournemouth left empty handed
Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil handed debuts to January signings Semenyo and Hamed Traore, while Dango Ouattara made his second appearance following an eye-catching Premier League introduction against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago.
The trio failed to make the scoresheet but their pace, direct running and energy could prove a major asset as Bournemouth look to avoid an immediate return to the Championship this season.
Semenyo’s tremendous solo run midway through the second period deserved a better outcome – but the former Bristol City player was thwarted by Estupinan’s block.
Lerma should have done better from Anthony’s cross in the first half, while O’Neil will feel his team should have been awarded a penalty either side of half-time.
Estupinan’s robust challenge on Ouattara went unpunished in the first half, before Ryan Christie’s cross appeared to strike the full-back on the hand in the second.
Victories for fellow strugglers Everton, Wolves and Leicester compounded a miserable afternoon for the visitors, whose next five league games include encounters with Newcastle, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Player of the match
MitomaKaoru Mitoma
Brighton & Hove Albion
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Squad number22Player nameMitomaAverage rating
8.11
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Squad number27Player nameGilmourAverage rating
7.70
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Squad number5Player nameDunk
Average rating7.39
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Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán
Average rating7.31
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Squad number7Player nameMarch
Average rating7.29
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Squad number2Player nameLamptey
Average rating7.21
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Squad number19Player nameSarmiento
Average rating7.13
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Squad number13Player nameGroß
Average rating7.12
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Squad number40Player nameBuonanotte
Average rating7.10
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Squad number34Player nameVeltman
Average rating7.07
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Squad number21Player nameUndav
Average rating6.89
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Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
Average rating6.88
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Squad number4Player nameWebster
Average rating6.85
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Squad number20Player nameEnciso
Average rating6.81
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Squad number1Player nameSánchez
Average rating6.81
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Squad number25Player nameCaicedo
Average rating6.54
AFC Bournemouth
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Squad number24Player nameSemenyo
Average rating6.80
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Squad number10Player nameChristie
Average rating5.90
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Squad number13Player nameNeto
Average rating5.76
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Squad number22Player nameTraorè
Average rating5.71
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Squad number6Player nameMepham
Average rating5.71
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Squad number33Player nameZemura
Average rating5.61
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Squad number8Player nameLerma
Average rating5.60
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Squad number32Player nameAnthony
Average rating5.58
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Squad number25Player nameSenesi
Average rating5.55
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Squad number15Player nameA Smith
Average rating5.51
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Squad number29Player nameBilling
Average rating5.50
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Squad number11Player nameOuattara
Average rating5.50
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Squad number14Player nameRothwell
Average rating5.03
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Squad number18Player nameViña
Average rating4.32
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Sánchez
- 34VeltmanBooked at 9mins
- 5DunkBooked at 69mins
- 30Estupiñán
- 2LampteySubstituted forBuonanotteat 75′minutes
- 13Groß
- 27GilmourSubstituted forCaicedoat 57′minutesBooked at 79mins
- 22Mitoma
- 7MarchSubstituted forWebsterat 89′minutes
- 21UndavSubstituted forEncisoat 75′minutes
- 18WelbeckSubstituted forSarmientoat 57′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Webster
- 19Sarmiento
- 20Enciso
- 23Steele
- 25Caicedo
- 29van Hecke
- 40Buonanotte
- 42Offiah
- 49Moran
Bournemouth
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 13Neto
- 15A SmithBooked at 84mins
- 6Mepham
- 25Senesi
- 33Zemura
- 11Ouattara
- 8Lerma
- 29BillingSubstituted forRothwellat 66′minutes
- 32AnthonySubstituted forViñaat 81′minutes
- 22TraorèSubstituted forChristieat 61′minutes
- 24Semenyo
Substitutes
- 1Travers
- 10Christie
- 14Rothwell
- 17Stacey
- 18Viña
- 21Moore
- 41Pollock
- 43Greenwood
- 53Kinsey-Wellings
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 31,600
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Bournemouth 0.
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Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Bournemouth 0.
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Attempt missed. Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Facundo Buonanotte.
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Foul by Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Joël Veltman (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Ryan Christie (Bournemouth).
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Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Adam Webster replaces Solly March.
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Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Bournemouth 0. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Jeremy Sarmiento with a cross.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Neto.
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Attempt saved. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jeremy Sarmiento.
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Attempt blocked. Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Moisés Caicedo.
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Adam Smith (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Adam Smith (Bournemouth).
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Attempt missed. Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Ryan Christie with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Solly March.
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Substitution, Bournemouth. Matías Viña replaces Jaidon Anthony.
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Foul by Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Joe Rothwell (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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