2026 WORLD CUP TOP SCORERS

 

SARR AT THE DOUBLE AS PALACE AND BRIGHTON'S UNBEATEN HOME RUN

Crystal Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr scored a brace as his side beat arch-rivals Brighton 3-1 at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, handing the Seagulls their first home defeat in the Premier League this season.

Unbeaten in their last five league games, Palace climb to 15th place in the table with 16 points from as many matches. They are four points clear of relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, who sit 18th.

Brighton drop to ninth with 24 points, four behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest.

"We look up, in front of us, and it was a massive chance for us to reduce the gap to the teams in front of us. But we don't talk about the table, we talk about our performance. The positive thing is we can play better," Palace manager Oliver Glasner told Sky Sports.

"It's a very important game for us, it's a very important game for our fans and I told the players it was the best Christmas gift we could give them because they are always behind us."

Both teams got off to a lively start with Kaoru Mitoma nearly opening the scoring inside three minutes after Joao Pedro produced a brilliant overhead flick, but Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson pulled off a fine save to deny the Japan winger.

It was the visitors who drew first blood when centre-back Trevoh Chalobah fired into the top corner from close range in the 27th minute thanks to a quality corner from midfielder Will Hughes which led to some confusion in the Brighton box.

Ismaila Sarr scored twice as Crystal Palace claimed victory at Brighton.
Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who made no changes to the side that drew 2-2 with reigning champions Manchester City at Selhurst Park last weekend, and his side held their breath through a VAR check for handball before the goal was confirmed.

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a double save to keep out Sarr and Daniel Muñoz before being beaten as the home side found themselves two goals down six minutes later when Sarr eventually met a deep cross from left back Tyrick Mitchell with a brilliant header.

Missing their leading league scorer this season in Danny Welbeck, Brighton created very little against a confident-looking Palace in the first half.

Henderson went on to make a string of saves, keeping out a Lewis Dunk header and moments later a Julio Enciso shot, as Brighton responded with a wave of attacks following the interval.

Palace right wing-back Muñoz had the ball in the net in the 67th minute but just as the Colombian celebrated what he thought was his side's third goal, referee Michael Oliver came to Brighton's rescue and chalked it off for a foul by Sarr on Pervis Estupiñán.

However, Sarr scored his second goal of the afternoon to leave the home side with a mountain to climb when he collected Eddie Nketiah's pass and raced past Dunk to calmly finish off past Verbruggen, before centre-back Marc Guéhi scored an own goal in the 87th minute.

"We conceded the goals too easy. We didn't score in the phases when we had plenty of chances and that is why it is a bad experience. It is very disappointing but we should see this as a lesson for us," Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler told BBC Sport.

Game Information

American Express Stadium

5:00 PM, December 15, 2024

Coverage: USA Net/Tele

Falmer, England

Line: BHA -0.5

Over/Under: 2.5

Attendance: 30,893

Referees:Michael Oliver

- Reuters 

AC MILAN, ROMA, MARSEILLE, BENFICA ADVANCE TO EUROPA LEAGUE ROUND OF 16

AP Photo

AC Milan advanced to the round of 16 in the Europa League despite a 3-2 loss at Rennes in the second leg of their playoff on Thursday.

Milan, which won 3-0 at the San Siro last week, eliminated its French opponent on a 5-3 aggregate score.

The Italian powerhouse, a seven-time European champion, has never won the second-tier Europa League or its predecessor, the UEFA Cup.

Midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud’s hat trick put the hosts up three times with Milan quickly answering twice.

Bourigeaud netted the opener in the 11th minute with a fierce right-footed shot from over 20 meters to beat goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Forward Luka Jović canceled it out 10 minutes later with a header off a cross by captain Theo Hernández.

Bourigeaud made it 2-1 early in the second from the penalty spot but Rafael Leão equalized after four minutes on a fine solo effort.

Bourigeaud sent Maignan the wrong way with another spot kick to make it 3-2.

The eight runners-up in the Europa League group stage played the eight third-place teams from the Champions League group stage in the playoffs.

The eight winners will take on the Europa League’s group winners, who qualified directly for the round of 16. They are Liverpool, West Ham and Brighton from the Premier League, as well Leverkusen, Atalanta, Villarreal, Rangers and Slavia Prague.

The draw is scheduled for Friday.