It started with silence. Frustration, disbelief, a few groans.
Five minutes in, the ball slipped through Bart Verbruggen’s hands, and suddenly, the Amex felt flat. Heads in hands, a few shakes of the head, this wasn’t how it was meant to go. Not after three months without a home win. Not after that 7-0 collapse at Nottingham Forest.
For a moment, it felt like the script had already been written. A mistake, an early setback, and another long night ahead.
But instead of sinking, the crowd stood up.
Seven minutes later, Georginio Rutter’s header hit the back of the net, and the stadium erupted. You could feel the release: people jumping, fists pumping, arms thrown around shoulders. This wasn’t just a goal. It was a fightback.
Albion's Georginio Rutter (centre right) celebrates scoring (Image: Gareth Fuller) And from that moment, Albion - and their fans - were in it.
The Amex feels like home again
You could sense the shift. The noise picked up, the chants rolled on, and every Brighton attack carried a different kind of energy. The crowd had been waiting three months for something to believe in - and they weren’t letting go now.
Then came Kaoru Mitoma’s goal.
A clever touch, a calm lift over Robert Sanchez, with Marc Cucurella scrambling in vain. If there was a way to end this home drought, this was it.
The noise was deafening. People bouncing in the stands, scarves spinning, that roar that only comes when a goal really means something.
There were still a few nervy moments - this is Brighton, after all. Chelsea pushed forward, and every time they worked the ball into the box, you could hear a sharp intake of breath around the stadium. But this time, it wasn’t slipping away.
When the final whistle blew, relief swept through the Amex. Players clenched their fists, the crowd rose to their feet, and the music kicked in.
Three months without a home win - finally over.
Hurzeler’s take – and another chance on Friday
Fabian Hurzeler cut a satisfied figure in the press conference. After the week he’d had, you could hardly blame him.
“I learned another sentence,” he said with a grin. “‘Just what the doctor ordered.’”
It had been a tough few days. The questions, the doubts, the pressure. But he’d seen what he needed from his players.
“We bounced back after a tough week, and I think the guys showed real character,” he said.
Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler gestures on the touchline (Image: Gareth Fuller)
“And that’s not easy - to come back like this, to play with this intensity, to play in possession with that courage. I think it was well deserved.”
But what stood out most? His praise for the fans.
“It was a win of togetherness,” he said. “Not just the team - the fans were great today.”
And now, Chelsea return to the Amex on Friday night.
No FA Cup drama this time, just a chance to prove this wasn’t a one-off. That Brighton’s home form is back. That this was just the start.
