{"id":293771,"date":"2023-09-24T15:36:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-24T15:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=293771"},"modified":"2023-09-24T15:36:01","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T15:36:01","slug":"brighton-secure-comeback-win-over-bournemouth-thanks-to-substitute-kaoru-mitoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/brighton-secure-comeback-win-over-bournemouth-thanks-to-substitute-kaoru-mitoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Brighton secure comeback win over Bournemouth thanks to substitute Kaoru Mitoma"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Roberto De Zerbi\u2019s inspired double substitution helped Brighton come from behind to sink Bournemouth 3-1.<\/p>\n
The Seagulls trailed to Dominic Solanke\u2019s opportunist strike but went in level at half-time thanks to a Milos Kerkez own goal.<\/p>\n
Boss De Zerbi, who had made nine changes to his starting line-up from Thursday\u2019s Europe League defeat by AEK Athens, sent on Ansu Fati and Kaoru Mitoma at half-time.<\/p>\n
And the pair had an instant impact, combining for an exquisite goal just 15 seconds into the second half, with Mitoma applying the finishing touch.<\/p>\n
Japan winger Mitoma then wrapped up the victory with a late header to leave the Cherries still winless from their first six league matches.<\/p>\n
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De Zerbi also opted to rotate his goalkeepers, replacing Jason Steele with Bart Verbruggen, but that was a move which backfired after 25 minutes.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman hesitated on the edge of the area as he attempted to play the ball out.<\/p>\n
Ryan Christie charged down the clearance and the ball rolled to Solanke, who chipped the stranded keeper into an empty net from 20 yards.<\/p>\n
Brighton offered precious little for the majority of an uncharacteristically lacklustre first half until three minutes of stoppage time.<\/p>\n
A goalmouth scramble saw Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster have efforts cleared off the line before Billy Gilmour swung the ball back into the box.<\/p>\n
Kerkez climbed at the near post in a bid to clear the danger, only to glance the ball past goalkeeper Neto and into his own net.<\/p>\n
De Zerbi made his double change at the break, but not even the shrewd Italian could have foreseen quite the impact the pair would have.<\/p>\n
Bournemouth lost possession from the kick-off and Mitoma played the ball out to Barcelona loanee Fati on the left before continuing his run into the area.<\/p>\n
Fati\u2019s ball back in was helped on by Mahmoud Dahoud into the path of Mitoma, who sidefooted it past Neto to cap a glorious Albion move.<\/p>\n
With Brighton now in firmly the ascendancy, Dunk headed narrowly wide from a corner before Fati failed to convert a cross from Simon Adingra.<\/p>\n
Bournemouth went in search of an equaliser and Antoine Semenyo had a low shot well kept out by Verbruggen.<\/p>\n
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But Mitoma put Brighton further ahead when he nodded in Pervis Estupinan\u2019s cross with 13 minutes left.<\/p>\n
Solanke almost scrambled one back for the Cherries from close range late on but his effort was cleared off the line by Albion skipper Dunk.<\/p>\n