MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 00:38:14| >> :120:40704:40704:
[monks data]
Brighton logo
EFL Cup | Second Round
Sep 17, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
The American Express Community Stadium
Portsmouth

Brighton
4 - 0
Portsmouth

Mac Allister (38'), Jahanbakhsh (54'), Bernardo (57'), Gyokeres (71')
Gross (37')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Marquis (40')

Brighton put four goals past Portsmouth to advance in EFL Cup

Alireza Jahanbakhsh was the star performer against League One opposition.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh scored one and made another as a fully-changed Brighton side eased into the Carabao Cup third round by thumping Portsmouth 4-0.

Iran international Jahanbakhsh teed up the first-half opener for Alexis Mac Allister, before thumping home to double the Seagulls' advantage early in the second period.

Bernardo and Viktor Gyokeres joined Mac Allister in claiming their first Albion goals to seal a resounding success over outclassed League One opposition.

Pompey rarely tested back-up Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele at the Amex Stadium and could easily have been on the end of a far more embarrassing scoreline.

Graham Potter's hosts will travel to Championship club Preston in the next round.

Following Monday's defeat to Chelsea, Albion boss Potter changed his entire starting XI for the second-round tie and filled his bench with inexperienced youngsters.

Holland defender Joel Veltman, a summer signing from Ajax, was handed a debut, while keeper Steele was brought in for his first senior appearance since January 2019.

The raft of changes never looked likely to backfire as the Premier League hosts dominated possession all evening.

Alexis Mac Allister, second left, heads Brighton in front
Alexis Mac Allister, second left, heads Brighton in front (Glyn Kirk/PA)

Argentina midfielder Mac Allister made the breakthrough in the 38th minute.

The creative 21-year-old, who has spent time on loan with former club Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors since signing for the Seagulls in January 2019, arrived unmarked to nod in Jahanbakhsh's pinpoint delivery after Marcus Harness had sloppily conceded possession.

Albion had been knocking on the door for a while at that point. Gyokeres forced Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray into a smart early save, Pascal Gross had an effort headed off the line by Jack Whatmough, while stand-in Seagulls skipper Dale Stephens struck the base of the left post from distance.

Portsmouth, who came from 3-1 down to beat Stevenage on penalties in round one, showed three changes from Saturday's goalless draw with Shrewsbury.

Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett
Kenny Jackett watches his side's loss to Brighton (Glyn Kirk/PA)

Kenny Jackett's men had come close to an early opener when Seagulls defender Dan Burn almost diverted Ronan Curtis' 16th-minute free-kick into his own net.

Just before the break, Albion new boy Veltman inadvertently blocked a goalbound shot while lying injured inside the hosts' six-yard box as Harness attempted to atone for his costly error.

Any hopes of a fightback were quickly extinguished early in the second period.

Jahanbakhsh, who has been a largely peripheral figure since a Β£17million move from AZ Alkmaar in 2018, gave Potter a reminder of his talents by lashing into the roof of the net from just inside the box at the end of an incisive Albion breakaway in the 54th minute.

Bernardo, fourth right, heads in Brighton's third
Bernardo, fourth right, heads in Brighton's third (Glyn Kirk/PA)

Brazilian defender Bernardo emphatically nodded in his maiden Seagulls goal from a Gross corner just three minutes later to take the game away from Jackett's men.

Sweden forward Gyokeres completed the scoring 19 minutes from time, easily turning James Bolton to slide under MacGillivray.

Steele was finally forced into a save inside the final 10 minutes, repelling a powerful header from Sean Raggett to ensure it was a fruitless trip along the south coast for Pompey.

ID:414777: cacheID:414777:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9870:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Brighton boss Graham Potter on July 20, 2020
Read Next:
Graham Potter: 'EFL Cup is not a distraction for Brighton'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Blanch
Nadal
10am
Cachin
Ofner
10am
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
10am
Gasquet
Sonego
10am
Hanfmann
Mensik
10am
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
10am
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
10am
Lajovic
Monteiro
10am
Machac
Ruusuvuori
10am
Michelsen
Fonseca
10am
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
10am
O'Connell
Arnaldi
10am
Purcell
Giron
10am
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
10am
Tabilo
Cobolli
10am
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
10am
Azarenka
Maria
10am
Eala
Cirstea
10am
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
10am
Gauff
Rus
10am
Keys
Camelia-Begu
10am
Podoroska
Navarro
10am
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
10am
Swiatek
Wang
10am
Baez
Van Assche
10am
Coric
Zverev
10am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
10am
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
10am
Hurkacz
Draper
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Altmaier
Fils
10am
Darderi
Fritz
10am
Griekspoor
Daniel
10am
Munar
Struff
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Navone
Rune
10am
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
10am
Alexandrova
Krueger
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
10am
Boulter
Montgomery
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Collins
Danilovic
3pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
10am
Dolehide
Kalinina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Linette
Sabalenka
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
10am
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
10am
Vekic
Sakkari
11.30am
Arango
Yastremska
11.30am
Osaka
Samsonova
11.30am
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
1pm
Haddad Maia
Errani
2.30pm
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
2.30pm
Mertens
Stephens
Tables header RHS


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!