Brighton 2-0 Swansea: Aaron Connolly's double sees Seagulls progress

09/22/2021

Brighton 2-0 Swansea: Aaron Connolly’s quickfire first-half double sees Seagulls progress to Carabao Cup last-16 as Graham Potter’s side maintain brilliant start to the season

Aaron Connolly opened the scoring for Brighton when his shot took a deflection
The Irishman scored his second just five minutes later with an accurate finish
Championship side Swansea could not find a route back into the contest
Graham Potter’s side continue their great start to the season in the Carabao Cup

Aaron Connolly struck twice to ensure Brighton’s place in the Carabao Cup fourth round after a 2-0 win over Swansea.

The Republic of Ireland international had only one goal to his name in the calendar year before his 33rd-minute deflected strike broke the deadlock at the Amex.

Connolly’s second then followed five minutes later in almost identical fashion as he placed the ball in the far corner beyond Swansea goalkeeper Steven Benda.

Brighton continued their terrific start to the season as Aaron Connolly’s double saw them beat Swansea

The Irishman struck twice just before half-time and the Swans could not fightback from there

Brighton: Steele, Lamptey (Gross 45), Turns, Roberts, Burn, Alzate, Moder, Mwepu, Mac Allister (Sarmiento 69), Connolly (Locadia 76), Richards

Subs not used: Scherpen, Leonard, Furlong, Offiah,

Goals: Connolly 33, 38

Swansea: Benda, Latibeaudiere, Cabango (Manning 45), Cooper, Rhys Williams, Bidwell, Fulton, Walsh (Downes 63), Smith (Dhanda 64), Tarrelle Whittaker, Cullen

Subs not used: Piroe, Rushesha, Webb, Laird.

Bookings: Rhys Williams, Cooper, Downes

Referee: Michael Salisbur

Swansea hit the woodwork twice in the second half but were unable to force a comeback, unlike their 3-3 draw against Luton at the weekend when they were three goals behind.

Brighton kept their impressive run of form going into the cup despite boss Graham Potter naming an entirely different starting XI from his side’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Leicester at the weekend.

Neither side had any clear-cut chances in the opening stages, with both managers making a significant number of changes to their line-ups.

Swansea had the first opportunity of the game when the ball was played in to Korey Smith, who headed wide of the target from a Jake Bidwell cross.

The game had been without any opportunities or clear-cut chances when Connolly broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute.

The Seagulls number seven was played in by Alexis Mac Allister down the left and made his way into the box before taking a shot which deflected past the goalkeeper off a defender who was trying to make the block.

It was the Ireland international’s first goal of the season on only his second club appearance.

Connolly added his and Brighton’s second just five minutes later.

Brighton kept their impressive run of form going into the cup despite boss Graham Potter naming an entirely different starting XI

Connolly added his and Brighton’s second just five minutes later.

He was played in again by Mac Allister but had more to do, running past a defender before expertly placing the ball into the far corner and out of reach of Benda.

Swansea had a good opportunity to pull one back at the start of the second half when Morgan Whittaker found Liam Cullen but his header bounced off the woodwork and Joel Latibeaudiere’s follow-up attempt looped over the bar.

Whittaker then had a strike of his own deflected wide after being set up by Smith.

Potter’s side maintain their brilliant start to the season but this time in the Carabao Cup

Jakub Moder had a chance to secure Brighton’s place in the next round when he was fed in behind the backline but the ball was just ahead of him and Benda was able to gather.

On the hour mark, Swansea hit the woodwork for the second time as Smith’s strike rebounded off the crossbar.

Just before the final whistle, Brighton almost added a third when Pascal Gross’ free-kick from just outside the area hit the bar.

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