Brighton crush Crystal Palace 5-0 as Diego Gómez scores from halfway line

Gómez’s audacious strike headlines Brighton’s derby rout

Brighton delivered a commanding 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Amex Stadium, taking control of the M23 derby with three goals inside the opening 10 minutes and finishing with their biggest victory over their rivals since 1956.

The match’s defining moment came in the seventh minute. With Palace goalkeeper Walter Benítez away from his line, Diego Gómez struck from around the halfway line and watched the ball sail into the net. The goal from approximately 51 metres capped a remarkable start for Brighton and left Palace facing an uphill task before the contest had properly settled.

Palace’s early collapse sets the tone

Brighton had already gone ahead in the fourth minute when Jaydee Canvot turned Pascal Gross’s delivery into his own net. Gómez then produced his long-range wondergoal, and Yasin Ayari made it 3-0 in the 10th minute, finishing a flowing move after Brighton pulled Palace’s defence apart.

Palace struggled to recover from the early damage. Brighton kept pressing after the interval, and Charalampos Kostoulas made it 4-0 shortly after the restart following more good work involving Gross. Palace had a chance to reduce the deficit when Jean-Philippe Mateta hit the crossbar, but the visitors could not find a consolation goal.

Substitute Jack Hinshelwood completed the scoring in the 84th minute, heading home to cap a dominant afternoon. The result matched Brighton’s record 5-0 win over Palace, set in 1956 when both clubs were in Division Three South.

A statement result for Hürzeler’s Brighton

The emphatic derby victory marked a striking turnaround for Fabian Hürzeler, who had been booed after Brighton’s home defeat to Palace last season. His side combined intensity with clinical finishing to overwhelm their rivals, and the win strengthened Brighton’s position near the top of the Premier League table.

For Palace manager Pierre Sage, the scale and speed of the defeat were a serious setback. His side’s young defensive pairing was exposed repeatedly as Brighton surged into their early lead, while the visitors’ missed chances after the break left the scoreline unanswered.

Brighton’s performance was not only a derby triumph but a showcase of their attacking depth: the hosts scored through an own goal, a spectacular effort from distance, a slick team move, a second-half finish and a late set-piece goal.