Brighton soar into top half with Ipswich upset

The match saw goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter in the second half, securing Brighton's first win in five Premier League outings.

Hurzeler expressed his satisfaction, stating, "I'm very pleased. It was a tough match and not the best performance by us, but in the end, because of our second-half performance, I thought we deserved to win. It should give us some belief and self-confidence."

He highlighted the team's strategy, saying, "The key was a good balance of defensive and offensive ability which meant we were able to control the game. Overall, we defended together, and if we do that, I always feel we have the ability to score.

"Clean sheets are the foundation for any win, and as teams, we defended very well."

The first goal, according to Hurzeler, was pivotal: "The first-half goal helped to push harder; it was a game changer. They had to press higher, and the space opened up for us, which we were able to use."

Reflecting on their recent form, Hurzeler added, "We have suffered a little during this period but we trust the process. The performances have been good, and we should have won more games during the recent run. But it's important we were able to end the run without winning. I was always calm because I was happy with the performances, and I was sure the results would come.

"Let's see what happens in the next few weeks, but we should be confident. We are clubs with ambition, but you need to perform to be ambitious, so it's up to us to build on this result."

In what was the first top-flight encounter between Brighton and Ipswich since January 1983, Ipswich, fresh from a win against Chelsea and a draw at Fulham, couldn't capitalize on their home advantage at Portman Road.

Despite having the better chances in the first half, with Nathan Broadhead and Omari Hutchinson both testing Mark Verbruggen, Brighton turned the game around in the second period.

Mitoma's goal came just before the hour mark when he finished off a move involving Yasin Ayari and Matt O'Riley, his shot deflecting off Leif Davis.

Georginio Rutter then sealed the victory with eight minutes left, demonstrating sharp movement to score from a loose ball in the box.

This result lifted Brighton into the top half of the Premier League table, climbing two places to ninth. Meanwhile, despite a spirited effort, Ipswich remain in the relegation zone, having now suffered their 11th loss of the season. 

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