Chelsea put on a first-half masterclass at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, racing to a 3-0 lead inside 32 minutes before Brighton pulled one back through Malick Yalcouyé. The final score: 3-1, a result that flatters Brighton more than it should.
Lavia’s early strike set the tone immediately, catching Brighton cold before they’d even settled into their shape. Three minutes in, already chasing the game.
Pedro Neto doubled the advantage in the 14th minute, giving Chelsea a two-goal cushion. The Portuguese winger’s finishing added a clinical edge to what was already a dominant display.
Then João Pedro, facing his former club, made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute. Three goals in 32 minutes at Stamford Bridge is the kind of opening salvo that turns a competitive fixture into an exercise in damage limitation.
Brighton did respond. Yalcouyé pulled one back at the 35th minute, just three minutes after João Pedro’s strike.
